Murphy In The Middle
by gilcrust
Summary: AU that no one asked for. In which Bellamy and Octavia have a sister. Murphy and Emori have a wife and kids. Starts in space during the time jump, where will it end? No one knows. It's complicated and everything you didn't know you needed. It's Murphy In The Middle.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

John Murphy met Isla Marin for the first time at age 5. They sat at opposite ends of the same row, in the same classroom, with the same teacher, for the next 12 years. She wasn't like anyone else John had ever met. Namely because Isla had a sister. Well half sister technically. Octavia was only 11 months younger, 'she lives in the floor,' Isla smiled foolishly when she confessed this to him. They hid her in the floor for 16 years. Isla's father was floated and then her mother, for helping hide what he had done, and the girls biological mother, Aurora Blake. Her son Bellamy Blake lost his spot on the guard; Isla and their half sister Octavia spent the next half a year in lock up. Even though John and Isla were never allowed so much as two words to each other somehow imaging her in the room down the hall made solitaire seem less...solitary. And that was enough to get him through.

When they made it to the ground John Murphy realized that he hadn't been imagining her correctly during their time together in lock up. Because she had changed you see, strawberry blonde curls tumbling well past her shoulders, chubby baby cheeks sharpened into high defined bones, pink lips full and ripe, and curves that make his stomach tighten at the thought of just a touch.

"Hi Johnny," Isla grins, dimples puckered deep, and brown eyes sparkling brightly in the new found sun.

"Hey Isles." John stumbles over the words.

It's almost like things are how they used to be. Until one night when she stumbles into his tent, both of them flying high as kites, the moonlight in her hair and fire in her eyes. And he sees her then, as if for the very first time, when he's inside her without a stitch of fabric between them and she's crying out for him. "Johnny...Johnny. Johnny!"

Jaha leads Murphy into the desert with an absolute certainty that they could find the city of light. A place of respite for their people. While John himself was not entirely convinced he went along. He found his own form of sanctuary amongst the sand and the second girl he's dared to love; the girl with those same dark eyes. Emori was new, thrilling in her way. She lived on the edge, John craved excitement. He found it when they were alone, tangled up beneath the stars without an ounce of space between them as she chanted softly, "John, John, John."

By the time Ontari calls for him in her bed he recognized it, that familiar shade of rich brown. She does not love him that much they both know by the chains around his neck. She's not Isla nor Emori so he is grateful that her climax is a series of wordless groans and nothing else.

When the city of light is gone, Emori is there in his arms. Isla smiling in the wings, with Bellamy and Octavia, cheering him on. His heart swells and then breaks all at once.

The death wave comes as promised, sending the eight of them into space for the next five years. Leaving Clarke on the ground to die put a sour taste in John's mouth; but not nearly as hard to stomach as Emori and Isla sharing an oxygen tank that would run dry too soon. A desperate gasp, a shake of her blonde head, worried eyes darting over at him from behind a tattoo. His tank, then split three ways buys time; not enough. Isla falls as if in slow motion, she's dying. Emori is next, brown eyes falling shut and he reaches for her, fisting a hand in the top of her suit. I'm here. She's dying, I'm dying, he realizes from the desperate burning in his lungs. But suddenly he doesn't care. As long as they're together.

John opens his eyes with a gasp, leaning into the vent. Turning his head to see beside him. The soft rustle of suits, the up turn of soft lips, two sets of perfect teeth. The way the fire burned in Isla's eyes; the way it was met with the tenderness of Emori's. It confounds him for a split second, and then...oh. Oh. Of course.

There are no rules here. No one telling them that what they were doing was wrong. Just them for the next five years, doing whatever the hell they want. Exactly what the hell they always should have done.


	2. The Wanderer and The Frikdreina

Isla is a wanderer. Emori notices rather quickly.

A quiet huff, a jostle of sheets, soft foot steps padding out the door, night after night.

When they are finished John sleeps, sometimes without even so much as a good night. Emori lies there staring up at the ceiling, waiting for sleeping to come. Isla pets at her hair across John's chest until she believes they're both asleep. Then untangles herself from the pile of spent limbs and leaves. Emori wonders, more often then not, where it is she wanders to.

So tonight instead of sleeping, she pulls on her clothes and follows. Down the hall, around the corner, past the large window that over looks the earth, all the way to the air lock.

"So this is it." Emori says finally, once she's sure that this is her final stopping point. It doesn't look like much, but there must be a reason why Isla leaves the warmth of their bed to stand there.

Her blonde head whips around, "Emori, you scared the shit out of me." Isla laughs breathlessly.

"Sorry, I wanted to see where it is you sneak off to." The brunette smirks. You're so beautiful, Emori thinks, no person should look so...perfect after just rolling out of bed.

"Oh."

"You used to live up here, I'm sure there are much more interesting places to visit." Emori takes a step forward, closing any space between them.

Isla runs her fingers over the metal seam of the doors. "This is the last thing my parents ever touched."

"What happened to them?" Emori wonders aloud.

"Up here on the ark, everyone was allowed one child. My parents had me, then my dad had an affair with another woman and they had a daughter, Octavia. Aurora already had a son, Bellamy. We hid my sister in a hole in the floor for sixteen years. When she got caught, my parents and Bellamy and Octavia's mother were floated. I didn't see Octavia after that till we were on the ground." Isla purses her lips.

"Floated." Emori rolls the word around on her tongue. "What does that mean?"

"Basically this set of doors open out into nothing. They put the offender inside, sometimes the family members will come to watch. A member of the council gives the go ahead and the buzzer sounds. The doors open and the body is sucked out into space, there's no air, they suffocate; but I've heard rumors that maybe the initial pull kills them but I don't-" She breaks off to collect herself. "I hope it was fast. I used to wake up at night thinking about how lonely it'd be to be stuck on the other side of this door."

"Did you get to say goodbye?" The raven haired girl asks. Now choosing her words carefully, as not to upset her partner.

Isla's breath hitches, suddenly looking very far away. Without thinking Emori catches her hand in her deformed one. Before she can move to hide it, Isla's hand is covering it. Holding it there. Meeting Emori's brown eyes with her own glossy ones, "no."

"I'm sorry." Even though Emori knows nothing of what it's like to grow up with a mother or father, she knows loss and the sadness that goes along with it.

"Me too." Isla gives her hand another squeeze. "But we all have things, things that we wish we could change."

"If you could have said anything to them, what would you say?"

"I love you." The fairer girl shrugs, her voice breaking. "Dad why'd you have to cheat on my mom? Mom why did you stay? Why weren't you careful, because you knew what would happen if you had a second child. Why didn't you care? Why'd you have to leave me? I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" From the sounds of it Isla is not the one needing to apologize.

"Because I knew what would happen if Octavia got caught outside the room...but I helped Bellamy sneak her to the dance anyway. I just wanted her to be happy. I'm sorry that they're dead because of me. But I'm not sorry for showing her the ark, that's all she talked about, how badly she wanted to go outside. Living down there like some kid of animal, that was no life for that little girl." She bats away the tears staining her cheeks, "what would you say?"

"To your father and mother?" Emori had a few words, none of them were kind.

"No, yours." Isla's eyes search hers.

"Thanks for nothing," Emori spits, feeling a familiar anger brewing inside her. "Why bring a child into the world if you're just going to throw it away like someone's garbage. I know you couldn't keep me there, because of what would happen if someone found out what I was. But why'd you have to send me and my brother away alone? Why didn't you come? If you'd known what would happen to me and Otan would that have changed your mind? Would it matter if you knew I'd be beaten, cut, burned, within an inch of my life. Until I was begging for it to just be over. ...Sometimes I wish you'd been able to kill me when you tried; because it would have saved me a lot of trouble and pain." It still amazed Emori how badly old wounds could sting.

Isla inhales sharply, pulling Emori into a tight hug. Almost as though she were trying to absorb some of Emori's pain. "You're not garbage. I'm sorry that nobody loved you then. But somebody loves you now."

"John?" Emori's voice holds a hopeful yet guarded tone.

"Yeah," Isla responds a beat later.

"You?"

"What do you think?" The blonde challenges, now holding Emori at arms length, with raised brows.

Emori smiles, drawing her in by the waist. Their lips meeting softly, slowly, sighing against each other.

"Can I-" Isla gazed down at Emori's wrapped hand. Emori had never even dreamed of touching something so lovely with her larger hand. Much less forcing her to look at it. "If you're not ready-"

"I don't want to scare you off." I don't want you to stop loving me because of what I am.

"I've been around John since I was five. You really think I scare easy?"

"Fair enough." Peeling off her make shift glove, Emori raises her hand to Isla for inspection. She doesn't stare long, before looking down at her own hand. Separating her middle and ring fingers and holding them flush to the fingers beside them. Replicating the fused digits of Emori's hand, then pressing there palms together. As if to say we're not so different, you're not alone. There are no frikdreina here, just us. Until a clattering from down the hall sends them jumping apart.

"Well don't stop on my account," John chuckles.

"You were sleeping." Isla accuses.

"I was, while I'm used to you abandoning me at night, Emori not so much and I can't say I'm a fan." He saunters over, sleep still evident in the heaviness of his eyes. "What exactly is it about this air lock that's got you all hot and bothered anyway?"

"It's cold up here." Emori's brows pull together.

"It's an expression." John explains patiently.

"Of course it is." Emori touches his face, he leans into her palm.

"So is this how it's gonna be now? Hump me and dump me?" Murphy narrows his eyes at the traitorous pair.

"You're a big baby Johnny." Isla rolls her big brown eyes at him and John's heart flutters in time with her lashes. "You just wanna be held."

"Maybe I do," he shrugs, "sue me."

Isla still wanders from time to time, but not nearly as much; hardly ever back there, and hardly ever alone.


	3. Stuck With Me

_**Then**_

"Everything is spinning Johnny." Isla says, truly intoxicated by the effects of the nuts they had eaten.

"Are your eyes always on fire?" Murphy stares over at her with a puzzled expression.

She giggles, "I'm hot all over."

"Take your clothes off." He's never dreamed of saying such a thing to her. But right now he is fearless, grounders and delinquents be damned.

"Ok." Isla nods, stripping down to nothing without a second thought. "Now take your clothes off."

"Anything for you." He didn't care if it was lame, he didn't care who heard him, he didn't care if all they did was take their clothes off. John Murphy would do anything for her.

"Oh my god! That's never gonna fit." The blonde pouts, from her place on his makeshift bed; and he loves her then more than he ever has.

"It'll fit. Trust me." He moves to kneel between her legs, cupping her face. Kissing her for the very first time. Her mouth is soft and inviting, John covers her breasts in his hands, pink nipples hardening further against his palms. "You're beautiful," sliding his hands up her calves, smooth thighs, planting them on the pillow on either side of her head. Aligning himself with her, nearly to the promise land but then-

"Wait! I'm sorry." Isla puts both hands firmly on his chest. "I want to, can we slow down?"

He wants her more than he's ever wanted anything, but he loves her and so he waits. Stroking the baby hairs away from her face. "Let's try something else." He kisses her for a long while, settling her frayed nerves, until her hips buck up against him. She's wet and soft and warm and he wants to fuck her; but... he slips a finger inside.

Isla gasps against his mouth, "that feels so good," her blonde head pressed back into the pillow. "Sorry for being a baby."

"You're perfect Isles." John shakes his head. "Whatever the hell you want, that's what I'm gonna do."

"What about you?" Brown eyes wide, searching his.

He rolls them over so she is looking down at him, now in full control, "I just want you."

Murphy remembers her, before the world had tainted her, back when only he had touched her. Flushed and breathless, riding him until they were both spent, chanting a never ending chorus of 'whatever the hell I want.'

The way he had egged her on with a returning, 'whatever the hell you want.'

 ** _Now_**

Isla is older, hardened by loss, no longer a risk taker, John loves her still. Anyway she is, anyway he can have her, but there are times when he longs for that girl in the tent. It breaks something inside him to realize she's not there. Because part of him still feels like that boy, high on jobi nuts, wanting to give her everything.

"I love you." Isla pants against his lips. That part is the same, that part is always the same. The door behind them swings open without warning.

"Shit Murphy, Emori, I'm sorry." It's Bellamy.

"It's all good man," John says, doing his best not to bust out laughing at Isla's comically large brown eyes staring up at him. "Just close the door, we'll be out in five."

Bellamy listens, mumbling under his breath as the door clicks back into place.

"Thank god," Isla huffs, "he didn't see me."

"We're not sixteen anymore Isles, what's he gonna do? Float me?"

"That's so not funny." She kisses his shoulder twice.

"What too soon?" John leans back, smirking at her. He'd meant it as a joke, but one look at her face he can tell that she's thinking about that rope around his neck, and the crate getting kicked out from under him.

Isla shrugs, "get dressed."

"What? Come on the joke wasn't that bad." Murphy gives her bare hips a squeeze. He loves her and he wants her, always.

"We'll finish this later." She explains, brushing wayward hair from his face.

"Ugh you're the worst." Murphy rolls his eyes.

"I'm sorry," Isla kisses him again, reluctant to let go. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"Atleast let me get you off."

"You don't have to." She moves away from him finally, in search of her clothes.

"Hey I want to, come here." He grabs at her waist drawing her back in. "Come here." Cupping her sex before teasing a finger over her sensitive clit.

She groans letting her head fall onto his shoulder, eyes closed in concentration.

John loves listening to her, the little noises she makes drive him insane. "Hey Murphy?"

"Hey Marin." He smirks in return. She grabs his cock, effectively shutting him up.

"Is it still whatever the hell I want? Because I want to retract my statement about finishing later."

John smiles in earnest. "That's my girl."

He's back inside her a second later, bucking his hips against that spot inside her that made her speak in tongues. Soft fingers tangle in his hair, the other hand scraping down his back. Isla's mouth sucking at the skin of his neck over his pulse point. He has a love hate relationship with that particular part of himself. He's been hung, collared and chained by Ontari, then strangled on more than one occasion. But when she's touching him there it's only love. He turns to catch her lips with his, she's a lazy kisser when she's about to cum, she always has been but Murphy doesn't mind just breathing her in. Pink pout opened in an exaggerated exhale, he kisses her top lip then pulls the bottom between his teeth. Feeling her shutter against him, her pussy fluttering with the beginning of her climax.

"Good baby, so fucking good." He empties myself inside her.

"Holy shit Johnny," she breathes at the height of her pleasure.

"Mmm," he hums in agreement. He wants to stay like this, to hold her, kiss her sweat damp skin, and whisper sweet nothings to her until she's tired of listening. But he knows the longer they stay, the risk of actually getting caught multiplies. "You are gonna tell Bellamy soon right?"

"Yeah, of course." Isla scanning the room for her clothes and dressing quickly.

"What are you so scared of anyway?" Murphy asks, his shirt still on the floor and his pants hanging dangerously low on his hips.

"I don't know." Isla shakes her head to clear it. "He just lost Clarke and we can't talk to Octavia and everything is really, really shitty for him right now. I guess it's just...when I tell him I want him to be happy or at least ok with it. This is terrible timing."

"I get that," John knows how important Bellamy is to her. He's not actually her brother but pretty damn close. "I think it's better if you tell him rather than him finding out, so if now's a bad time then it's probably a good idea to call off our midday quickies until further notice."

Isla pouts, cupping his face, "I hate it when you're right."

* * *

"Hey Emori." Bellamy's voice booms into the lab.

"Bellamy." Emori doesn't bother looking up from the work in front of her. Isla works day and night. Sometimes faster than Emori has ever seen a person move. Isla is a chemist, and Emori is learning to be. She doesn't have much time for pleasantries.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about earlier and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable-"

"Earlier?" Emori cuts him off, she hadn't seen him all day.

"When I walked in on you and Murphy in the supply closet." He explains and now she understands.

"Oh, that. It's fine, no worries." No worries? Now he's definitely going to know she's been hanging around Isla.

"Yeah ok, no worries." He forces a smile.

"Bell." Isla says from the doorway, "what are you doing here?"

"Hey kid, just came to bring you guys lunch." Bellamy holds up the packets of mush they're using as food.

"Thanks." Isla smiles, finding her goggles on the work table.

The older boy puts the back of his hand to her forehead, "Are you feeling ok?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Your cheeks are red." Bellamy notes.

"Weird." Isla laughs it off.

"Weird." Bellamy agrees. "I guess I'll see you for dinner then. Unless you start feeling sick, I don't want you to push it, you should rest."

"I'm fine, please don't worry about me." Isla says softly.

"Easier said than done." Bellamy huffs.

She rests a hand on his shoulder, "you're stuck with me."

He blinks at her, "good, I love you kid."

"I love you too. Now get the hell out of here so we can work on the algae, the M.R.E.s won't last forever."

"A couple months Clarke said." Bellamy trips over the name before turning his back to the girls and leaving without another word.

"Did he say anything to you?" Isla asks her girlfriend as soon as he's out of earshot.

"He did. He wanted to apologize for catching John and I in the closet." Emori smirks with a wag of her dark brows.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry." Isla covers her face with both hands.

"Good thing they didn't have to hide you in the floor, you're not very good at sneaking around." Emori bumps Isla's shoulder with her own.

Isla gapes at her, "you sound like Murphy."

"I've never heard you call him Murphy." The raven haired girl cocks her head to the side.

"I call him Murphy when he pisses me off." Isla turns her attention back to her formula.

"What did he do?"

"Told me I was shit at sneaking around." The blonde grumbles.

"It's true." Monty pops out from under the tank. "But it's not just you. Murphy's been making goo goo eyes at you during dinner since we got up here; and Emori-"

"Me? What have I done?" Emori objects.

"You were shooting daggers at Echo for atleast twenty minutes while she was trying to teach Isla to fight." Monty reminds her, it was not Emori's finest moment. Nor Isla's as she was knocked off her feet, landing unceremoniously on her ass the time and time again.

"She's handsy." The corner of Emori's mouth twitches.

"I'm telling him, soon." Isla resolves, she's telling him tonight.


	4. Bring Your Murphy To Work Day

**Day 32**

You know that song? The one about heaven being a place on earth? That's Murphy's life as far as he's concerned; except the earth part. Emori's warm breath on his shoulders, Isla asleep in the cage of his arms, stirring softly when he turns over onto his back. They didn't have anywhere to be, not really. They were on their own time, in their own world, where no one else matters. John's heart has never been so full.

 **Day 740**

"What time is it?" Isla shoots up into a sitting position, flinging John's arm away.

"Half past the monkey's ass and twice around his-" Murphy replies coyly.

"I'm serious." The blonde slaps his chest.

"Always." He narrows his eyes at her before peering over at the clock on the bedside table. "8:33."

"Shit." Isla swears, running both hands over her face.

"Is my breath that bad?" Murphy teases her.

"No." Isla exclaims, sliding off the bed and grabbing rapidly at piles of clothes on the floor. "I was supposed to meet with Monty an hour ago to start working on the hydrozen substitute and I can't-" she huffs loudly. "What is wrong with this shirt?"

"Well for starters, it's Emori's." John arches an eyebrow at her.

"Damnit," she snarls.

"And I'm pretty sure your arm is in the head hole."

"Stop laughing and help me." Isla snaps, in just her underwear and the knotted mess of a shirt.

"How did you even get it on like this?" He says in amusement.

"I just-" When the material pops over her head Murphy grins, smoothing down the hair standing in all directions.

"What's it gonna take for me to convince you to blow off Monty and come back to bed." The boy asks, placing gentle kisses to the spot behind her ear.

"A secret stash of hydrozen or another way back to the ground." Isla catches his face in her hands, pecking his lips several times as a consolation prize. "You've got nothing? Didn't think so. But I love you, and I expect you to be just like this when I get back."

"When's that gonna be?" John does his best not to be upset, this is her job. She's damn good at it.

"Soon as I can baby," she winks, finishing clothing herself and leaning down to Emori's sleeping form. "Good morning," Isla strokes her dark tangled curls.

"Mmm," the other girl groans.

"It's 8:40." Isla says softly and Murphy's heart still skips a beat when he sees them together.

"Already?" Emori peeks at her through squinted eyes.

"Yeah," Isla kisses her forehead, "I'll see you there." With that she's gone, the doorway flooding in bright light before sliding closed.

You know that song about being locked out of heaven? That's a more accurate description.

"What happened to my shirt?" Emori frowns at the tangled mess on the floor.

"Your girlfriend happened." Murphy rocks back on his heels as Emori drags herself out of bed.

"Why is she only mine when she's done something wrong?" Emori wraps her arms around the his neck.

"Because that's how it works."

"John," she glares at him.

He pulls her closer, "when are you gonna tell her?"

"About leaving the lab?"

"The other one." Oh that.

"I don't..."

"Whatever you're afraid of isn't going to happen." Murphy assures Emori, stroking the worried line between her brows.

"Does she want a child?" Emori asks hopefully.

"She'll want this one." John's sure of it.

"Even if I'm the one carrying it?" She averts her eyes.

"If Isla was pregnant you'd love our baby wouldn't you?" He already knows the answer, but asks to prove a point.

"Of course I would."

"Alright then, nothing to worry about." John waits until her eyes come back to his. Tracing the cleft of her chin.

"Isla is good and smart and kind, everything a mother should be; all the things I'm not."

"She is," he won't argue, "but so are you."

"John," Emori rolls her eyes, "I'm a murderer and a thief; frikdreina, cast out of my clan as an infant-"

"Your home is with us. We are your people. You will never be cast out again, this baby will never be cast out. This baby will be loved; it's already so loved." John puts a hand on her belly, still flat but not for much longer.

Emori wants to believe him. She knows John loves her, that Isla loves her. Yet part of her is still so afraid. "Get dressed and meet me at the lab, I have a job for you."

* * *

"Took you long enough." Isla smirks at Emori as she enters the lab.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Emori takes her usual seat at the metal table aside of Isla.

"Yeah of course, what's up?" The blonde turns back to her work, plush bottom lip tucked between her teeth in concentration.

"Put the chemicals down first." Emori says.

"Is something wrong?" Isla sets the beaker down, removing her gloves and goggles.

Emori shakes her head. "I've been working here with you and Monty for a while now. You've taught me so much."

"You're the perfect person to teach," Isla gushes; taking Emori's left hand in her's, nearly causing Emori to change her mind and just stay.

"You're a good teacher, ai niron." The brunette beams at her, "Beautiful, talented, smart-"

"I sense a but coming." Monty chimes in from the algae tank.

"Shut up Monty." Emori snaps, two years ago she wouldn't have, two years ago she was still wearing her glove to work. Not now.

"Hostile much." Harper raises her brows.

"Can you give us a minute?" Isla says to the pair, her eyes not leaving Emori's. She can feel the tension radiating off her.

"Sure." Harper shrugs, dragging Monty off with her.

"What's wrong?" Isla asks softly, so the love birds outside have no chance at ease dropping.

"I was thinking maybe Raven could use..." Emori pauses, wracking her brain for the word Isla had taught her, "an apprentice."

"You wanna leave me to be Raven's apprentice?" Isla's brows furrow.

"Don't say it like that." Emori catches Isla's face between her hands. "I'll stay if you want me to. You know I love you, and I love working with you. But-"

"You wanna space walk don't you?" Isla tries to keep a straight face. She's not thrilled about Emori leaving, she's been a huge help. But more than that, all she really wants is for the other girl to be happy.

"I wanna space walk." Emori smiles, her genuine, excited smile, "but only if that's ok with you."

"Go." Isla nods.

"Are you sure?" Emori pulls back to really look at her. They have been together long enough for her to know when Isla's lying.

"Yeah." She's telling the truth.

"I've got a little something to soften the blow." Emori kisses Isla's cheek.

"Why is Murphy here?" Monty charges in.

"Reporting for duty." John replies, Emori scurries out of the room before Monty has a chance to yell at her. "I'm here to mix shit, cut wires, write down a bunch of numbers on a piece of paper and then crumple it up. Whatever else you nerds do all day."

"Don't touch anything!" Monty objects. "Isla this isn't really the best time for bring your Murphy to work day."

"You really want to help?" Isla's tone is curious, guarded. Ignoring Monty's outburst.

"Yeah. I've got nothing better to do." John tells her. God she's a cute nerd.

"Ok." She smiles, still clearly taken aback, but more than happy that he's finally willing to do something.

"Ok?" This time it's Harper. "What do you mean ok?"

"I promise, no fun of any kind." Murphy waves the worry warts away. "What's on the agenda for today?" He rolls up his sleeves, taking Emori's abandon chair.

"We'll start small," Isla pulls out an old, torn, piece of paper from the front of her desk, full of measurements. "You can mix this for me."

"What's it do?" John wonders, flickering his eyes over the instructions.

"Excelerates algae growth." Isla grins, watching him intently.

"Nice." He catches her staring with a grin. "You made this?" He grabs for the container beside him, knocking it onto the floor instead.

"Mhm," she hums. "Just a protip for mixing." Isla slides his goggles into place, "it helps to look at the ingredients while mixing them."

"Yes, boss." John turns his attention back to the task at hand. He's spent time with Isla most his life, Murphy knows she's great. Like way out of his league, never in a million years get to tap that, wet dream inducing, great. But it never occurred to him how out of this world brilliant she was. He loves watching her, to share in her excitement, almost like she is riding some kind of high unlike any he's ever known. Isla makes things, things that help people, things that save people. John's never made anything but a mess, but Isla is patient. She never gives up on him, and he loves her for that. But there is something churning in his mind, something that isn't happiness at all.

* * *

The three of them return to their room after dinner, Emori perched awkwardly at the edge of the bed as Isla sprawls out, kicking off her shoes, and closing her eyes. John sitting on the metal chair in the corner.

"So what's it like working for Raven?" Murphy asks Emori, after a moment of silence.

"Good." Emori clears her throat. She doesn't want to talk, not small talk anyway. She's practically bursting at the seams, but she just can't quite get the words out. _You're_ _gonna be a mom_. "No spacewalks, not for a while."

"Oh, how come?" Isla rolls onto her elbow, facing them.

"I'm learning the comm system for now. Just a bunch of radio silence. The mechanic part isn't so different from engineering." Her tongue is heavy in her mouth. _We're_ _having_ _a_ _baby_.

"Don't let Raven hear you say that." Isla purses her lips.

"What'd you think of the lab?" Emori turns her attention to John.

"They run a tight ship." The boy thrums his fingers against his leg. "Gotta say, getting bossed around by this one was a turn on."

"Stop." Isla scoffs.

"How do you feel about children?" Emori blurts, the question hangs in the air for a moment too long, she shifts uncomfortably as Isla's expression does the same.

"Way to be subtle," Murphy mutters under his breath.

"They're ok... I guess. Why? Do you have a bun in the oven?" Isla laughs, because that's ridiculous, especially while they're trapped up here on the ring. Emori and John are watching, waiting on bated breath because- "Emori, you're pregnant." Isla says softly; finally. No longer a question.

"Be happy." The dark haired girl whispers, not trusting her own voice.

"Oh baby," Isla sighs, holding out her arms from Emori who melts into them. "I'm happy," Isla kisses her hair. "I'm happy." She is.

"Congrats baby mama." John comes over to ruffle her blonde hair, and then comfort Emori who is now crying inconsolably into Isla's neck for no good reason. It's going to be a long nine months.


	5. Trigedasleng

**Day** **840**

Isla knows trigedasleng the same way she knows Echo; from her short, and rather tumultuous, relationship with the prince turned king of Azgeda. John could listen to her and Emori speak jibberish back and forth for hours. He understands some, but is clueless for the most part. So when Emori expresses a desire for their baby to speak her native language, he nearly shits. School was not really his strong suit, so a whole other language is like the equivalent of rocket science or stoichiometry, which sounds fun but is not.

"You're not gonna be able to talk about me anymore if I understand you." He challenges, from where his head is resting aside of Emori's ever growing belly.

"Someone's got a big ego," Emori reaches down to flick his cheek, not hard enough to sting. "Not everything is about you John."

"Whatever you say." Murphy smiles, still too delighted by the thought of a little Emori running around to argue much.

When he finds Echo later that day, begging her to teach him at least the basics, she laughs. "Emori and Isla won't teach you?"

"I'm sure they would." He pauses, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "But I want it to be a surprise. Nothing's more romantic than saying, 'hey I learned a new language for you.' In the language, which you just learned."

"Hmm." Echo regards him with quirked brows. "I didn't have you pegged as the hopeless romantic type."

"What can I say?" John shrugs, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "I'm a giver."

"Sure." Echo half smiles at him. "Why don't you start by telling me what you do know."

He mumbles out a string of nonsense, his name, his clan, flame keeper, nightblood, the activation code of the flame.

Echo waits silently.

"What?" Murphy asks.

"I was waiting for you to finish." She replies.

"That was it, that's what I know." He shifts between feet impatiently.

"You're kidding me." The girl scoffs. "You've been up here for three years, sharing a bed with two women who speak fluent trigedasleng, and this is what you have to show for it?"

"Can you help me or not?" Normally John would give her shit for the snide comment, be he knows she's right.

"I'll help you." She nods. "For the child's sake, your lack of our traditions is unsettling to say the least."

 **Day 910**

"I'm doing it!" Isla's slender fingers skitter across the keyboard frantically. Both Raven and Emori watching over her shoulder; inspecting her work. She doesn't know much about anything that they do in 'Raven's lair' as Murphy calls it, but Isla loves to learn. Atleast that's her cover story, mostly she's been spending more time than needed with the access panels because she misses Emori. But somethings do spark her interest, coding is one of them.

"Keep going," Raven instructs, "past the firewall, into the mainframe."

Coding, much like creating a compound, relies on a series of numbers. Each one exact. But when creating a formula Isla could go back and make changes. This was different, one wrong move and- "AHHH I lost it." The blonde growls, slamming her fist into the table. "You guys make it look so easy."

"Maybe you're not good at everything after all." Emori leans over the chair, speaking directly into Isla's ear.

Isla wipes her head around, drawing Emori closer. "Listen here, sugar tits-"

Murphy stands in the doorway collecting his thoughts, before clearing his throat, "Ge smak daun _,_ gyon op nodotaim _." Get knocked down, get back up._

The three of them turn to stare at him.

"You having a stroke Murphy?" Raven asks, only half kidding.

"He's speaking trigedasleng." Emori says in disbelief. He hadn't said another word about it since she asked him to learn.

"Looks like the cockroach came through after all." Raven grins, these past few months, she's gotten pretty close to Emori. She was more of a friend than an apprentice, Raven wants her to be happy.

"John, say something else." Emori steps closer to him, still not trusting her own ears.

"Ai hod yu in." Murphy tells her.

"That ones easy." Isla rolls her eyes playfully.

"Jok yu." John scoffs.

Emori laughs, "thank you, for learning." Thank you for caring.

"Pro." Murphy nods, closing the space between himself and Emori. Their baby between them, the baby he will love, and teach, and watch grow. A baby that would be part him and part Emori with Isla's tendency to roll their eyes. "Anything for you."

 **Day 986**

"How about Pandora?" Isla suggests, looking up the book of baby names. Emori's head resting in her lap.

"How about pretentious?" John quips, raising his brows incredulously from the foot of their bed.

"I like that one," Emori ignores him, "what's it mean?" If they don't figure something out soon this baby won't have a name at all.

"All gifted; talented, to have everything." Isla reads aloud, passing a hand over the other girls hair.

"Pandora." Murphy rolls the name around his mouth. It's not terrible, "how about a middle name?"

"How many names does one child need?" Emori wonders.

"Well we have three; first, middle, and last. Johnathan Alexander Murphy, Isla Colette Marin." John introduces them, realizes that this is Emori's first time hearing their given names.

"Then the baby should have three names too." Emori decides, even though the middle name is not used much; she wants to incorporate as many of their traditions as they'll allow her.

"It's more for when they get in trouble." Isla explains. "Whenever I heard my parents yelling for Isla Colette, Isla Colette was running the other way. Because she was about to get her ass beat."

"Remember the time Nova Lee thought she 'caught us' on the couch and she swatted my arm so hard it left a mark?" John chuckles, a far off look in his eyes. Lost in a memory. "I swear, I never touched this one until we got to the ground, but her mother aways thought I was taking her to pound town."

"Big Al was so mad," Isla's right there with him. Two fourteen year olds huddled together as their parents threw verbal punches in the hallway. "Katie threatened to take it to the council if my dad ever did it again."

"Dean was always taking the fall for your mom." Murphy recalls with something close to fondness. Nova Lee and Dean weren't without their flaws, but when he thinks about growing up; more often than not one or both of them were there.

"He was trying to make up for Octavia." Isla shifts uncomfortably, the weight of Emori's head suddenly crushing her. Denying her the ability to run as fast as she could. "You're lucky Alex and Katie liked each other. Because my parents did not."

"Understatement of the century." John concurs.

Emori watches them, a content look on her face. These are the people she was raising a child with. People who are flawed and broken in their own ways; but not beyond repair. John grabs her foot, giving it a shake.

"Everything ok over there?" He blinks up at her, beyond attentive at this point in her pregnancy.

"It could be better with a little massage action." Emori wiggles her toes at him.

"I can make that happen." He smirks fondly, lying a kiss to her ankle.

Isla wiggles out from beneath her, replacing her legs with a pillow beneath the other girls head. Moving down to her swollen belly. "What do you think? Are you a Pandora?" She runs both hands over Emori's skin.

"Feel that?" The brunette smiles down at her as the child stirs beneath Isla's palms.

"Yeah."

"Paws off, my turn." John says giddily, rushing toward the baby bump. He waits, nothing. "Come on kick for Daddy." Still nothing. "It hates me."

"No, just stubborn; gets that from you." Emori winks. Pandora Reign, they decide, Odin Alexander, for a boy.

 **Day 1008**

"What if the baby is like me?" Emori asks, they've never really talked about it. Each of them knowing it was possible, Emori the only one actively hoping for a different outcome.

"Beautiful?" Isla's brows pull together. Her face still pinched from chugging Monty's new algae soup.

Emori shifts, holding up her hand. Everyone else had cleared the table after dinner, leaving the three of them alone.

Murphy shrugs, "they'll be a bad ass."

"I wouldn't be as worried about that as I would be worried about that poor kid having John's nose, I mean look at this schnoz." Isla pinches it between her thumb and forefinger, tugging it playfully. It still struck Emori as odd that neither of them seemed at all bothered by the idea.

"Alright asshole," he laughs, whipping her hand away.

Isla pulls her hand away, kissing the tip of his nose.

"I'm a stain in the bloodline, something to be hidden and erased. I would never wish that on anyone, especially my own child." Emori hangs her head, holding her belly, hopefully and yet with a broken heart. Emori does not hate her hand, she is far past that and has been for sometime. She hates the things that she was forced to endure because of it.

"Give me your hands." Isla sighs, reaching for her across the table.

Emori obeys and Isla smiles, placing the pregnant woman's thumbs over the deep dimples in her cheeks.

"Feel that?" The chemist asks.

"Yes, they're lovely." Emori replies, now slightly confused.

"They're a genetic mutation," Isla explains. "Bifid zygomaticus; there are two holes in my face."

"That's different." Emori argues.

John wants to make a smart ass remark but he doesn't, because he loves how much they love each other.

"If you're a mutant, I'm a mutant; end of story. I understand why you're worried baby, but you don't have to be. This is your family now, this is your clan. Everyone on the Ring can't wait to meet this baby, everyone up here will protect this baby with their life. And I promise you, nothing bad will happen. No harm will ever come to this baby."

"Yeah," John puts his hands over hers, "what she said."


	6. Natblida

**Big thanks to everyone reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! I love to hear what you have to say. Without further ado here's the next chapter.**

"Should I smell it?" John whispers to Isla, over Emori's sleeping form. She's nearly a week over due at this point, and too uncomfortable to sleep most times. She will kill them if they wake her up, Murphy has no doubt about that.

"It's not pee," Isla scolds him, making her way off the damp bed. "Her water broke."

"Well what do we do?" That was worse than pee, a hundred times worse. How can she be sleeping through this? "Get ready to catch or what?"

"The baby's not going to come flying out." She begins exchanging her clothes for clean ones. "Did you read any of the books I left for you?"

"Not enough apparently," he mumbles under his breath. "Those diagrams freaked me out."

"She's about to push out something the size of a watermelon; those diagrams are the least of your worries." Isla snaps.

"What happened to the bed?" Emori grumbles, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Your water broke." John explains. "Do you feel anything? Any contractions? Pain?"

"My stomach feels tight, like something is...squeezing it." Emori finds the words finally. "But it's not painful."

"Ok." Isla smiles, running her hand down Emori's arm, soothing her. "Why don't you go clean up? Change your clothes, get comfortable. I'll take care of this. Johnny, you wanna go with her?"

"Of course," John brushes the wayward hairs behind Emori's ears, pressing a kiss to her temple.

Emori hesitates at the door, watching Isla strip the sheets off the bed. Emori is no stranger to pain, she is not afraid of that part; she won't allow herself to be. She's afraid of what comes after. The child. That terrified her more than she'll ever admit.

* * *

The pain comes in waves. Emori closes her eyes and relaxes into it. John's hands on her lower back, pressing down in the only way that brings her any relief. Isla holds her hand, keeping the sweaty hair off her neck, wiping her brows; the cool rag against her skin is Emori's saving grace. Because she burns all over.

"This is good," Isla tells her. "The contractions coming closer together means the baby is almost here." The blonde checks her cervix again. Nine centimeters; then after an eternity...ten. She can push, she needs to.

Murphy realizes with some nervousness that Emori's crying, "it's ok." He whispers, "you're ok. It's almost over."

Emori nods, she knows; because all things good or bad must come to an end.

She's keenly aware of Isla moving her onto her back, John sitting behind her, holding her like he thinks she might slip away. Isla between her legs, waiting on bated breath for their baby. Shooting Emori a shaky smile each time she bares down, stroking the skin of her knees. John in Emori's ear whispers words of encouragement; how much he loves her, how strong she is, how he hopes their child looks like her. Emori pushes with all that she has, a guttural cry escaping her and then something else happens. The wail of an infant fills the room.

"Oh my god," John breathes, tears pouring onto his cheeks. Emori can feel them wet the skin of her shoulder. "You did it. That's our baby." He nuzzles against her. Emori can't remember ever hearing him sound so awed.

"Hi." Isla's voice breaks, coming out a choked sob, drawing the baby from Emori's body into her arms. "Hi sweet baby. Hi sweet girl." Isla wraps the pink squealing baby in her blanket holding her close.

Emori leans forward, as much as her exhausted body will allow, using John for support. A girl. Emori's heart swells, she can't see much of the baby now, but she can see the look on Isla's face. She can feel the amount of love radiating off of the woman in front of her. Emori knew Isla would be a wonderful mother but nothing could prepared her for the moment she saw the blonde holding their child for the very first time.

Isla catches Emori staring and realizes guiltily that she's hogging the baby Emori had worked so hard to bring into this world. A child the brunette hasn't even properly seen yet. But Emori doesn't mind. "She's perfect." Isla tells her, wiping the baby off, kissing her button nose.

Emori sinks back into Murphy's chest, relieved. She's perfect. She's not like me. Emori can breathe, after what feels like a lifetime of holding her breath.

"Welcome to the world beautiful." John says softly, as Isla places the baby into Emori's waiting arms.

They feel like jelly and she is glad that John arms are just beneath hers. The infant's eyes are wide, deep blue like her father, her hair dark and matted, familiar cleft in her chin, perfect round lips, it's too soon to say for sure, but Isla suspects she has in fact inherited John's schnoz. Tiny fingers reaching out to grasp one of Emori's, revealing the mutated digits that match her own. Emori feels a fresh wave of guilt creeping into her throat, as if all the air has been sucked out of her lungs. "You said she was-"

"Perfect." John confirms, lightly stroking the newborn's hair. "She is. Absolutely perfect."

As promised, less than five minutes old, their daughter is so loved. Emori chokes down the bubble of fear that has risen in her chest. The child in her arms begins crying as if she could sense Emori's panic.

"She might be hungry Em." The blonde is back at the opposite end of the table.

"What about the cord?" Emori asks, bringing the baby to her breast.

"You want to cut it, Daddy?" Isla reaches over for the scissors, holding them out to Murphy as she ties a piece of string around the umbilical cord.

He does so, nervously, afraid that he might break the fragile thing in Emori's arms. But it's fine, hardly any blood. Finally he's done something right.

Isla stares at the blood on the scissors for a minute, realizing that it's a strange color she's never seen before; purple almost. But maybe it was a trick of the light, she doesn't think about it anymore. She still has a job to do.

Isla is a saint as far Emori is concerned, disposing of the after birth and cleaning up any mess before she has a chance to be embarrassed by it. Making her so comfortable beneath the blankets that Emori is nearly asleep before Pandora can finish nursing. John moves from behind her then, propping her head up on the pillows.

"You ok?" John asks, taking the baby into his arms, careful not to jostle her.

Emori tries to smile, "I've had worse."

"I think that's normal." Isla would know, she's gone above and beyond to prepare herself for this moment. She reaches for Emori's wrist, taking her pulse, which is again, normal. "I want you to drink this." The chemist holds out a cup of algae to her partner.

Emori's stomach churns at the thought.

"I know it sucks," Isla sees the distain on the other woman's face. "But your blood sugar could dip and you could pass out-" and I can't let anything bad happen to you.

Emori chugs it, just to shut her up.

"We'll be back in a couple hours for her to nurse, it'll be a pain in the ass for the first couple days until your milk comes in. Then we don't have to worry as much. Am I forgetting something? I feel like I am?" That purple, strange blood.

"You don't forget things ai niron, I'm fine, just tired." Emori loves Isla, honestly she does. But she can't take another second of this anxiety ridden hovering in her current state of exhaustion. Emori exchanges a look with John over Isla's head, and he can feel her internal scream of 'get her out of here.'

Every ounce of panic John had displayed during labor seemed to wash over her now, and he was relaxed and content.

"Let's get out of here so she can sleep." John nudges Isla softly toward the door.

She wants to argue, but nods instead.

* * *

"They're coming this way." Harper squeals in excitement when she spots Isla and Murphy making their way down the hallway, a tiny bundle of blankets in his arms.

"Boy or girl?" Raven wonders impatiently.

"Can't tell," Bellamy answers, "maybe a boy?"

Echo huffs a laugh, he's cute when he's excited.

"How'd it go?" Monty asks when the pair is in ear shot.

"It went," Murphy sighs tiredly, recalling the hours of screaming and crying that brought this beautiful little baby into the world. "But she's here now, and Emori is sleeping. Please for the love of god, no one bother her."

"She?" Bellamy grins, so wide it could split his face.

"Pandora Reign Murphy."

"Sounds so important." Raven moves toward him, stealing the baby from his arms before Bellamy has a chance. "I'm Raven," she tells the little girl, "I'll teach you how to make it go boom."

"Not anytime soon." Isla shoots her a warning glance.

"Your mother is a buzz kill." The mechanic whispers into the blankets, nuzzling against the baby's soft hair for a moment before asking, "who's next?"

"Me," Bellamy doesn't miss a beat. The only baby he's ever held was Octavia. That was a long time ago, but this comes easy to him; muscle memory. "You did good kid."

"Technically, I didn't do anything." Isla reminds him.

"Next time." Murphy says quietly.

"Are you-"

"No. No! I still have my implant." Isla stops that train of thought dead in its track.

"I think you're giving Harper baby fever." Monty tells them, his face a mix of concern and excitement. "How many babies do you think we could sustain up here?"

"I think you're giving Monty baby fever." Harper stops him, with a hand on his shoulder, "let's take this one day at a time for now. It takes a village to raise a child."

They each take a turn holding the baby, even Echo softens, just as they'd promised Emori, no one bats an eyelash at the baby's left hand. Kissing her tiny fingers just the same.

* * *

Emori takes the next three weeks off work, to spend time with their daughter, tomorrow will be her first day back. Isla and Raven are figuring out the particulars her coming back to the control room with the new baby.

"You can put the swing over here." Raven says, making room for what Monty built between the rocket simulator and the computers.

"Got it." Isla huff, it's heavier than it looks.

"I told her to take off as much time as she needs. Emori doesn't have to come back tomorrow." Raven repositions the blankets inside once they're satisfied with the placement of the metal contraption.

"She wants too, trust me. She's going stir crazy." Isla tells the mechanic. Emori is like a raging wildfire, she can't be confined to one place.

"Ok." The dark haired girl shrugs, turning back to her baby proofing.

"When we were in Becca's lab, and Clarke was going to test the nightblood on Emori..."

"Random." Raven replies with a quizzical expression. "What about it?"

"Clarke took the full dose didn't she?" Isla rubs her temples, harshly, trying to conjure up the image. Emori unconscious on the metal table, Clarke hovering over her. Roan's hands resting on her shoulders, partly to comfort, partly to restrain. Finger nails biting into her palms, breath coming in pants as she waited, willing herself not to cry out, repeating a silent mantra 'it's all for my people.' Then Clarke turning the needle on herself at the last second.

"I think so." Raven nods.

"Did Abby say anything about how nightblood is inherited? Is it always from the parents or could two red blooded parents produce a nightblood child?" Isla asks.

"That was over two years ago while Alie's code was eating away my brain. I don't remember every detail. Why?" Now Raven is sure something's up. "What aren't you telling me?"

"When John cut the umbilical cord, the blood inside was purple. Dark purple, almost black." Isla knows it was a different color than the rest of Emori's blood.

"You think Pandora's a nightblood." Raven's brows pull together. The time of the flame is over, but nightblood was useful for so much more than that. Increased ability to withstand radiation, to name one.

"I think she might be."


	7. Victory Vodka

**As always thanks for reading. The end of this chapter contains smut. Sorry, not sorry.**

Pandora turns one with little to no fanfare, now walking and talking. Mama, Mommy, and Dada are the only real words she knows: but she's learning as fast as she grows, a little more each day.

Her diet no longer consists of milk, now relying solely on algae to fuel her tiny bones. She's understandably not a fan, but eats it all the same. Emori and Murphy both know about the strange purple blood Isla saw in the umbilical cord. Understanding that Pandora may in fact be a nightblood, but mutually deciding they don't need to know for sure.

The little girl, with skin a shade lighter than her mother's, kept her father's blue eyes and nose; for which he often told her, 'sorry kid'. Her hair, the color of Emori's, is growing quickly into soft curls. She's fascinated by the lights of the rocket simulator and more often goes to work with Emori. For the simple fact that the lab is full of things she can't eat, but wants to more than anything.

Murphy made a sling to carry her out of an old sheet, but Pandora is growing out of it too quickly for his liking. It fills his chest with something between sadness and joy. Their daughter was a spitfire. She even managed to put Harper and Monty's baby fever to rest after just a few short months of life.

"Where's P?" John says playfully, as he dresses her for the day. Her shirt caught over her head, hiding her tiny face from view. Murphy and Emori never understood the appeal of baby talk, they speak to their little girl the same way they'd speak to anyone else. Isla on the other hand was known for using a ridiculously high pitched tone, going on about her 'sweet snookem bookem' which made Pandora giggle wildly.

"Dada," her little voice carries out from beneath the fabric.

"There's P!" He pops the shirt over her head.

She screams rolling away from him.

"Come on kid, we've gotta drop you off with Mama."

"Mama," She repeats.

"Today is a big day. Today we find out if we're going back to the ground." Murphy tells his daughter, lifting her off the bed. Blue eyes staring up at him as her left hand toys with the neck of his t-shirt. "If our hard work pays off we can rest easy. Mommy and me will have more time to play with you."

"Mommy," she cooes fondly.

"I love you." He kisses her chubby cheek. Pandora slaps her hands together in response, squishing his face between her palms as he walks them down the long hallway. Laughing endlessly at the way his lips stick out because of it.

"Good morning, co pilot." Raven greets Pandora when she sees them emerge from the door of the control room. "You're hanging with Mommy and Dada today." The mechanic shoots him a, 'what the hell are you doing here Murphy,' look.

"No can do, we're testing out the hydrozen substitute." He attempts to hand the toddler off to her. "Sorry Raven, today we get to make it go boom."

"Emori's suited up for a spacewalk. Do you want to be the one to tell her she can't go?" Raven challenges, not accepting Pandora into her arms. "Didn't think so. Maybe Bellamy's free." She kisses the child's outstretched hand.

"Ok P, say bye to Raven. I guess you're coming with me." John huffs.

"Bye babygirl." The mechanic blows Pandora a kiss.

Pandora opens and closes her left fist several times, attempting a wave. It's interesting that her 'special hand' also appears to be her dominant one.

"Mama! Mama!" The little girl exclaims, pointing her tiny fingers out the window.

"Mama." Murphy nods, spotting Emori on the opposite side of the air lock. "She looks pretty silly huh? She's going on a space walk, that funky looking suit and helmet keeps her safe." He waves his arm to get her attention.

Emori looks away from the tether attachment she's fiddling with, smiling at the pair of them. Doing a little shimmy that earns a giggle from Pandora and a suggestive nod from John, tapping the glass lower, right where her ass is. Emori gives him an exasperated look with a single eyebrow raise; thanks a lot Isla for teaching her to do that. After all the time she's been spacewalking he's never been able to bring himself to watch the outside doors open on her, even if he knew she was safe. The idea of getting floated always plays at the back of his mind.

"Everything ok?" Emori asks.

The doors are sound proof, so he can't hear her, but he can make out the shape of her mouth forming 'ok.' John gives her a thumbs up and their daughter follows suit. Emori returns the gesture, the two of them continuing down the hallway.

She used to panic at the thought of Pandora being out of her sight, of John being out of her sight. Because all her life she lived in a world where people didn't come back, but here they do. She has a job and friends and a family, Emori has a home for the first time that isn't only with John. She's happy here, she's important to her people, she's useful, she's thriving. She misses her brother; but she doesn't miss what was before.

Murphy however does, miss what was before. When Emori needed him. It was nice, to feel that security, like she would never leave. With Isla it was different, she never needed him, not really. She would come and go, but they circled around each like two planets in geosynchronous orbit. Sometimes out of sight, often out of reach, but always there. Always existing, always coming back around, but never really belonging to him. Never being his to lose, Emori had been his, and somehow she wasn't anymore. That resignated deep inside his chest, deep inside his mind, and he hates himself for it.

Emori loves to spacewalk, to feel like she is a speck amongst the stars. She doesn't want to disappear forever, she just wants to be free. And she is, until Raven starts barking orders at her.

* * *

"Where's Bellamy?" John asks when Echo opens the door. Leaning casually against the frame like she owns the place. That's new.

"He went to check on things in the lab." Echo tells him. "I hear you may have finally done it, if that's the case congratulations. We found this to celebrate." She produces a half empty bottle of alcohol.

"Thanks." Murphy eyes her indifferently, "is this gonna be like a thing now?"

"It's no secret...but because of what happened with Octavia on that cliff-"

"Bellamy and I took turns hanging eachother." From the look on the spy's face, John realizes this is news to her. "He was cool with us. Isla will be cool with you. That was a long time ago; bygones. Anyway, I need someone to watch Pandora for the next half hour before I get my ass chewed out. Are you game?"

"I'll take her." Echo nods, holding her arms out.

"There's diapers in here, they're prefolded. For the love of god, do not unfold them, the smaller cloths are wipes. Wet them if you need to, toys are in here too." He hands the bag off to Echo. "If there's an emergency, bring her down to us in the lab, Emori's spacewalking."

"Murphy, I've got it. We'll be fine." She's the only person on the Ring who's never baby sat Pandora before. But she's helped plenty over the past year, she has a good idea as to what she's doing. The little girl reaches up, with her deformed hand, tugging at one of Echo's braids.

In Azgeda, she would have been killed at birth. Frikdreina were useless, or so they were told. The former Ice Nation spy wonders how many wonderful children, just like this one, had been slaughtered simply because they didn't know any better. Echo smooths the little girl's hair down, pushing those dark times away.

* * *

"We doing this or what?" Murphy says, strutting into the lab as if he's not tremendously late.

"Took you long enough." Isla narrows her brown eyes into slits, watching him dawn his goggles to match the other occupants of the room.

"Yeah, well, your girlfriend neglected to mention her early morning spacewalk." Girlfriend; that didn't sound quite right anymore.

"No she didn't," Isla argues. "I told you last night, you were getting Pandora dressed and dropping her off."

"You didn't tell me I wasn't dropping her off with Emori." John explains patiently, "that's kind of an important detail."

Isla shrugs, clearly preoccupied, "sorry. You want to do the honors?" Isla holds out the white cube of sulfate to him. They've talked about what should happen when he drops it in the red liquid. It will dissolve into the compound and cause a reaction, between bubbles and foam. But something should happen and when it doesn't he knows, it doesn't work. Isla is gone from the lab in a flash, whipping off her goggles and tossing them to the floor.

She has never felt so utterly defeated, pulling the sheet of paper with the formula on it from of her pocket. Ready to tear it into shreds, until John stops her.

"Hey," he puts a hand on her shoulder. "Hey baby," he tries again to get her to face him. When she won't, he continues anyway. "It could be off by just a number."

"Which number?" She cries hopelessly, spinning on her heels, and thrusting the paper into his face.

He doesn't understand the sequence, just a bunch of numbers and letters jumbled together. "I don't know," he takes it from her, drawing her to his chest. "I don't know, but we'll figure it out."

"How the hell are we gonna do that when this took me over three damn years? I don't know how to do this. I'm not smart enough, I don't have the experience I need to-"

"You need to breathe," Murphy cuts her off. "You're limited to what we have access to, you're making a hydrozen substitute out of substituted properties. Maybe some of the ingredients can't be substituted, and if that's the case-" He grabs her chin, forcing her to make eye contact, "if it is, then it doesn't matter how smart you are. You can't get blood out of a turnip."

"We knew it was a long shot from the beginning," Isla nods in agreement, "but I really thought this was going to work."

"Who knows, maybe I just mixed it wrong." John shrugs, he hopes that he has. "I've been known to do that."

"Isla! Murphy!" Bellamy yelling from the lab has them sprinting back down the hallway.

"What's wrong?" Isla demands.

"Is it gonna blow up." Harper asks, pointing toward the bubbling vat of magenta liquid.

"Oh my god." The chemist breathes.

"Everybody get out." Monty instructs.

"No Monty! Monty...it's working." Murphy says in disbelief.

For the first time, in what feels like forever, Isla allows herself to think about her sister. About what was waiting for her on the ground. While she wouldn't see her for nearly two more years...she would see Octavia someday. Someday was more than she had allowed herself to hope for in a very long time.

* * *

Once Pandora is sound asleep, Emori takes the baby monitor down to the common area; where they indulge in the victory vodka. Bellamy waits until Isla is sufficiently buzzed before breaking the news about Echo.

"Are you happy Bell?" She asks, her voice louder than it needs to be.

"Yes," he tells her truthfully.

"Then I'm happy for you." She tosses an arm over his shoulder, and the other around Echo's. "Listen Echo I don't judge, people change. People wanna talk shit because you stabbed a girl and pushed her off a cliff? Screw 'em. They want to hold a grudge because you helped blow up a bunch skaikru during the summit? They can float themselves. It was for your people and I respect that. I tried to put Emori into an oven once for my people. Now she is my people, that's life. What are you gonna do besides move on? You're useful now, you've helped us all, and more than proven yourself, plus my kid likes you and I trust her judgment more than Bellamy's."

"Alright kid." The older boy laughs, "I think you've had enough to drink. We can keep P for the night if you want."

"Oh, we want." Murphy over hears them.

"Johnny-" Isla begins to protest.

"We could have actual sex." John says none too quietly.

His statement sparks Emori's interest. "What about the baby?"

"Bellamy and my girl Echo," Isla gives her an exaggerated wink. "See what I did there? Are gonna take her for the night."

"Welcome to the family," Emori holds the bottle out for the former Azgeda spy.

Echo accepts the offering, taking a small swig, both her and Bellamy abstaining from getting drunk like the rest of them. Monty and Harper leave shortly after Echo and Bellamy, presumably to have some 'actual sex,' of their own. Raven stays until she can't keep her eyes open any longer.

Leaving the three of them to stumble back to their bedroom, stripping as they go, a trail of clothing abandoned in the hallway. Occasionally pausing for a kiss, and sometimes tripping over one another. But eventually they make it, falling naked onto the mattress in a sea of laughter.

Emori almost forgot how much fun they used to have, in the beginning. Before work and responsibilities and Pandora. Not to say she wasn't grateful for her life now, because she was. But once upon a time, they were just a threesome of horny eighteen year olds, exploring eachother...she misses that. Tonight, she feels eighteen again.

She watches the way John smooths his thumb over the perfect 'o' of Isla's pink lips, how her tongue darts out to taste the pad of his finger. The way John leans over to meet Emori's mouth right after. Isla nudges him away after a moment, with her nose to his cheek, so that she can do the same. Emori now touches her with both hands, kneading her breasts, in a way she was too self conscious to do in the beginning. Emori's way of saying, I love you, I trust you, with all of me.

Murphy watches, sucking at the sensative skin of Emori's neck.

"John," Emori says breathlessly.

"Hmm?" He hums.

"I want you to fuck her." The brunette leans forward, sucking one of Isla's nipples between her teeth.

"My pleasure." Murphy grins.

"You want that too, don't you, love?" Emori turns her attention to Isla. Running a finger over the blonde's lips, the same way John had.

"Yes," Isla sighs. "I want to taste you. Can I? Please."

Emori nods, she never could say no to her. Emori moves up to rest on the pillows, face up, legs apart, waiting for only a second before Isla's mouth is on her. John gives Emori one last, lingering, kiss before moving away. Leaning down, brushing the wayward curls from Isla's face and whispering something Emori can't hear. Pecking her cheek lightly and slinking down the bed.

John fucks into their lover without preamble. Gripping her hips harshly, his finger tips biting into her skin. Isla likes that; a little bit of pain with her pleasure. She didn't always. John has his suspicions that Roan had made her that way, but he doesn't like to think about it too much. The same way Isla doesn't read too much into the fact that he's taken a liking to being lightly choked from time to time.

John stretches over the woman between them, in search of Emori. One of her hands find his. She likes the noise Isla makes when John tells her that she's 'such a good fucking girl,' pressing kisses into her spine. Emori likes that, almost as much as the vibrations that noise sends straight into her cunt. She likes that the most, fisting her free hand into Isla's locks, so she can see her properly. Isla's tongue stutters against her clit.

"She likes that, right there." Emori pants, John's eyes now boring into hers.

He smirks, "yes she does." He can feel it too, Isla's inner walls clenching at his cock, trying to pull him deeper. Murphy bites down on his bottom lip as he watches Emori's right hand leave Isla's hair to cup her own breasts, rolling her nipple between her thumb and forefinger. "Yeah baby," he encourages, "so pretty."

Emori cums soon after, Isla's tongue darting in and out of her. Seeking out every drop of her wetness, until it's too much and she pushes her mouth away.

Isla reaches her climax next, crying out against Emori's thigh. Sending short puffs of air across her skin.

John picks up the pace then, ready to follow.

"Wait." Emori hums, "let me."

He listens, withdrawing himself from Isla's still pulsing wetness. His erection jutting out painfully between his hips.

"Stand up," Emori demands, sinking to her knees on the floor.

"Fuck," Murphy swears, she's so perfect. He stands in front of her, waiting impatiently. "Please Emori."

The brunette leans forward, sucking him deep into her mouth, her cheeks hollow out as she sucks him. The sweetness of Isla's cunt still clinging to his skin.

"Love you baby," John tells Emori, stroking his thumb over her cheek, "love your mouth." It doesn't take him long to finish, she swallows all he gives her.

"I love you too." Emori says, smirking slyly as she pulls away, sinking back on her heels and swiping the back of her hand over her mouth. Then moving to her feet and back onto the bed with Isla.

"That was amazing." Isla notes from her position against the wall, making room for John on the opposite side and Emori sandwiched happily between them. They haven't done anything so sexually elaborate since their daughter was born, and that was pretty tame compared to some of the bedroom acrobatics they used to perform back in the day.

Emori and John laugh in agreement.

"We should have another." Emori suggests, the effects of the alcohol still running rampant in her system.

"Another?" Isla giggles.

"A sibling is a best friend for life," Emori say, almost as if she forgot that her own brother was no longer around, "...they're supposed to be."

"I wouldn't know." John shrugs, tapping his fingers against Emori's skin.

"You're not wrong," Isla kisses her shoulder sweetly. "I'd love another little you guys running around."

"Maybe a little you and John." Emori hesitates at the way she freezes, then completely withdraws herself.

"Me and John?" A half sibling, just like her and Octavia. Isla knows that this is different than what happened with her parents and Aurora. This wouldn't be a child created on a foundation of lies and infidelity. This would be a child created out of love, a child the three of them decide to have together. A child that would be wanted and loved, raised by parents who loved each other. Not like her and Octavia at all.

"A baby with these dimples, blonde hair, and John's eyes. Or dark hair and your eyes-" Emori has thought about it. Especially after Pandora had first learned to crawl, she assumed Isla would want to carry that child, maybe she was wrong.

"Ask me again when we get to the ground." Isla says, she'll be ready then.

"You owe me at least one; for the oven." Emori says jokingly. Isla knows that Emori would never force her to do anything she didn't want to.

"When we get to the ground." The chemist agrees, "one. Just one."

"Jeez Isles," Murphy scoffs, "try not to sound so excited about it."

"I am, just surprised me, that's all. I'd love to have your baby." It's true, she would, "just not right now."


	8. T-Minus 82 Days

**T-Minus 82 Days**

Until it's safe to go back to the ground.

"Did you come alone?" Is the first thing out of Monty's mouth once Raven is through the lab door. He's huddled close to the algae farm, in an attempt to stop pacing.

She doesn't even have to be Raven-Fucking-Reyes to know that something's off. "Course I did, you asked me to."

"Where's Emori?" Monty asks.

"On the comm system, what's the deal?" Raven demands, slinging her tool bag onto Isla's retired work station.

"The algae is dying, there's something wrong with the controls."

"Let me see." Raven inspects the panel for a moment. "I'm surprised there's anything left, some of these cables are completely melted together."

He saw that himself, but he was hoping, beyond hope, that there way an easy fix. "Can you fix it?"

"You're the engineer." The brunette replies sarcastically.

"I can do it; but it'll take me days." Monty resumes his pacing.

"We don't have days." Raven ticks her fingers against her lips.

"If we start cutting rations now, we could make it. But if I'm underestimating the problem, or over estimating myself, we'll starve."

"Is the problem just the temperature?" That's not a total death sentence. "We can probably-"

"It's the acidity too." He interrupts.

"Did you already ask Isla if she can do anything?" Raven wonders, stepping back to regard the tank with a worried expression.

"Not yet." Monty shakes his head.

"You two used to be thick as thieves, what happened?" The mechanic asks.

"Nothing happened. We had a way down, and she wanted to spend time with her kid." He was telling the truth. The former chemist, turned full time mom, still visits the lab. She just doesn't have anything to do there anymore.

"I'll go get her." Raven heads toward their room.

* * *

"Lookin' good over there." John says, sliding a cup of algae over to Emori.

She barely looks up from the communication system. "Thanks."

"Can you take a break from radio silence for minute? Or is the sweet sound of nothing more important than I am?" John lifts one headphone from her ear, to insure his words are received.

"John," she huffs, pulling off her headset. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know," he sighs, "haven't seen you all day. Something must be new."

"As you can see, not much." Emori rests the headset on her work table. "I have no idea where the hell Raven is. She was supposed to be coming back so we could work on the finishing touches for the rocket."

"Why don't you take a break then?" He drums his fingers against the table.

She eyes him for a moment before agreeing, "what do you have in mind?"

"Left wing is free, wanna go score some goals? Or try to anyway, soccer isn't your strong suit."

"Soccer doesn't help us get back to the ground." Emori has conditioned herself not to stray from the task at hand.

"We've got the hydrozen. Why don't you stop worrying so much and live a little? Prude." He adds, nudging her with his elbow.

"I am not a prude," she leans up to kiss him.

He smiles against her lips, "prove it."

She takes off down the hallway, stealing the soccer ball from his corner of the room and sending it flying down the hall. "You call that defense John?" Emori quirks a dark brow, dribbling the two tone ball between her feet.

"No," he punts the ball from her in one swift movement, "I call that offense."

She smirks, racing after him. Emori doesn't particularly like soccer; but she loves him.

Murphy scores a goal in a matter of seconds, going for another while adding some ridiculous commentary. "John Murphy dominates the ball, gliding down the field. Slipping past spacekru's sexy, yet completely unskilled, goalie."

"Hey," Emori narrows her eyes at him, "not unskilled."

"The score says differently." He mutters under his breath. "The record holder can not be stopped, even with the added pressure of his wife's stink eye narrowing in on him."

Emori's actually trying now, to get the ball, and shut him up. But she's momentarily distracted by his slip up. "She shoots. She scores!" The brunette announces victoriously, finally managing to make a goal. "Tying the score with her husband, the ridiculously handsome, yet in no way humble, John Murphy." Emori throws both arms into the air, tossing her head back in abandon, as she's seen John do a number of times.

He's silent.

"Don't be a poor sport John, you can't win all the time." Emori tuts.

"Do you want...are you my wife?" Murphy scratches the back of his neck nervously. Reminding her so much of the boy, with the canteen, she'd met in the wasteland.

"You're the one who said it." She shrugs in a, 'you tell me,' fashion.

"Can I show you something?" He asks.

She nods, swallowing harshly. His nervousness rubbing off on her.

Murphy grabs her bad ass hand, leading her down the path to the room where they store scrap metal. Flipping on the lights, on the right hand work table sit three, somewhat circular, hunks of metal.

"I was hoping to bring you and Isla here together, but it never seemed like the right time. I don't have a speech or anything. I tried a couple times..."

"This sounds like a speech," Emori laughs, cradling his face in her hands.

"The three of us make a pretty good team, don't you think?"

"Yes." Emori strokes his chin, "I do."

"It doesn't have to be a big deal. I just want to call you my wife whenever I feel like. Girlfriend doesn't seem right anymore." He explains, not caring if it sounds stupid.

"I love you." She whispers, her brown eyes searching his for any shred of doubt.

"I love you too." He kisses her palm. "Wanna try it on?"

"Yes." She grins widely. Attempting to slide it onto her right ring finger, "might need some adjusting, it's a little small."

"Wrong hand." He explains.

"Oh," she shrugs, that fit almost perfectly.

"Beautiful." He stares down, admiring his work.

Emori moves her hand up to see it better, the metal reflects the light of the room back up at her. "Bring the others." She tells him.

* * *

"This little piggy went to the market, this little piggy stayed home. This little piggy had roast beef, this little piggy had none, this little piggy went-"

"Isla," Raven interrupts from the doorway.

"No Boom!" The little girl, in Isla's lap, scolds Raven. "Piggy went weee, weeee, weeee." Pandora frowns at the mechanic. Pointing at her pinky toe, still held between her mother's fingers.

"My bad babygirl," Raven holds up her hands with a grin.

"Is everything ok?" The blonde asks.

"I need to show you something." Raven nods toward the hall.

"Come on Pandora," Isla slides the little girl onto her feet. "We've gotta go help Boom."

P squeals, taking off down the hallway as fast as her tiny legs will carry her.

"You think she's ever gonna stop calling me Boom?" The mechanic laughs.

"If you ever stop saying it." Isla shakes her head, a smile playing at her mouth. "You wanna tell me what's going on?"

"Algae farm," Raven says her. "The cables are fried. The water is too cold and overly acidic, we need to find a solution to last long enough for Monty to rewire the control panel."

"You want me to genetically modify the algae to survive in those conditions." The sliding doors open for them, only to find Pandora already in Monty's arms.

"Show me!" The little girl insists, motioning repeatedly to the top of the algae tank.

"Can you do it?" Raven asks, trying to keep the panic out of her voice.

"How long do I have?" Isla bites down on her lower lip.

"About twenty-four to forty-eight hours to create a viable solution, before we start to starve." The truth sucks.

"Let me get it under the microscope." Isla reaches for a collection cup, dipping it into the murky water, and placing a small amount on a slide. "Looks like I'd have to completely override the DNA." She mutters as she stares down the black tube.

"Can you do it?" Raven asks a second time. If you can't, your little girl's gonna starve. But judging by the look on Isla's face, she already knows that.

"I'm out of practice and that's besides the point. I'm a chemist, not a geneticist." This was above and beyond her skill set. She could try to reduce the acidity in the water, but she doesn't have the proper supplies for that.

"You've got this." Raven claps her on the back.

She doesn't have it.

* * *

John finds Isla staring blankly at her old work table. Completely cluttered and full of old, dead, breakers of algae. "Gonna save our asses again?"

"No." She replies simply. "I don't have any idea how to rearrange the midocondria of an algae cell, and enable it to thrive in a cooler temperature with higher acidity."

"So what's the other option?" Murphy takes his seat beside her, just like old times.

"Starve."

"Can't you make the water-"

"Less acidic?" She finishes for him, "every chemical I need is in that hydrozen. Too bad we won't be alive long enough to use it."

"We're not that bad off. Who needs food when you have love right?"

She stares at him in exasperation.

"Yeah, that line didn't work on Emori either." He wants to make her laugh so badly, to take her mind off of what's happening but he knows it's useless. Just like him.

"We're all gonna die up here, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it." Isla clunks her head down on the table in defeat.

"That's not on you." Murphy tells her truthfully, because it's not. Sometimes these things just happen. "Isla," he runs his hand over her back as a choked sob escapes her. "You did everything you could." He doesn't know what else to say, "you're still my sunshine Isles, you're always gonna be my sunshine."

She looks up, moving to rest her head on his shoulder. "You only call me sunshine when I'm dying."

No point in denying it. He hasn't used her old nickname since he thought they were dying from that grounder induced hemorrhagic fever on the drop ship.

"Because you hate it," he laughs.

"I don't hate it, truth be told that stupid sunshine song was the only thing that kept me going. I was just trying to be a grown up, look at me now."

"Grass is always greener on the other side. It's a shame we can't rig the stupid tank to run off a fuel source until Monty can rewire it."

"Oh my god, baby!" Isla hits his chest in quick succession, hard. "Oh my god."

"Ouch," he stops her, "ok, I see the light bulb going off. Less slapping, more talking."

"We need to get Monty and Raven," she swipes the traitorous tears from her cheeks, "we're gonna rig this son of a bitch to run off hydrozen." She catches him off guard, kissing him deeply, licking into his mouth. "You." Kiss. "Are." Kiss. "So." Kiss. "Fucking." Kiss. "Smart." Kiss. Kiss. Kiss.

John Murphy has never, ever seen Isla Marin so turned on. But if all it takes is a good idea...he'll try to have one more often. "Seems kinda obvious though, don't you think?"

"Stop talking," she works furiously at the button of his pants.

"Yes ma'am." He smirks against her mouth. Only problem is they need every drop of that hydrozen to get to the ground. Eighty-two days becomes, T-Minus forever and counting.


	9. Dishes, Latrine, Or Murphy

Day 2163

"You still the resident hairdresser?" John leans against the frame of the door. It's not the bedroom he used to share with Isla and Emori. He's not welcome there anymore, but this is a common area, and he can't be kicked out of those.

"Yeah." Isla doesn't need to turn around to identify the owner of that voice. She knows it well; after nineteen years, "want a trim?"

"Nah. Give me a hack job like you and Emori." It's been five months since his blow out with Emori, and during that time they'd both cut their nearly waist length hair up to their shoulders. Isla's held away from her face in three braids, that stopped at the crown of her head.

She scoffs, "ok."

"Didn't mean it in a bad way." Murphy thought it was nice, just a physical representation of just how different she was. How different Emori was, he wishes he was different too. But he's not, part of him is still trapped; fifteen years old, mother lying dead in a pool of her own vomit, after telling him that his father's death was his fault.

"Sure." Isla says, finally facing him, her heart aches when she does.

"So what are you thinking?" He moves to straddle the metal chair.

"I have a few ideas." She passes the comb through his hair, twice, before tucking it between her teeth.

His eyes follow of their own accord, lingering on her lips.

"No," she says simply, around the plastic comb.

"No what?" Murphy laughs, he hasn't said anything.

"I know you're looking at my mouth," the words are muffled, "I know what that means, and before you get any ideas, I'm telling you, no."

"How about this?" He moves his gaze up to her eyes. "Is that alright?"

She glares at him, "close your eyes smart ass."

He does, relishing in the feel of her soft fingers in his hair.

"How are you Johnny?" She asks, clipping the scissors at the end of his hair. "Are you ok?"

"Am I ok?" His eyes snap open. What the hell kind of question is that? "Since when do you care?"

"I always care." Isla sighs.

"Coulda fooled me. The second shit got real, you checked out; left me and Emori to duke it out. You can see how well that works for everyone." John doesn't understand how she could just sit there while his entire world was unraveling.

"What did you want me to do?" Isla keeps her eyes trained on her work. "Jump in between you like a human shield? What happened between you and Emori was between you and Emori."

"And you were just along for the ride, huh?"

"You can't base your entire self worth off of how much time Emori does, or does not spend with you. You can't decide how good or worthy you are based on the fact that she wanted to have a life outside of you. That's normal, and healthy, and it doesn't mean that she loves you any less. It only means that she needs more than just you." Isla can create damn near anything, except a healthy relationship with the person she's loved for as long as she can remember.

"I only needed Emori, and Pandora, and you!" He spits at her, so fucking angry, because how could she not understand that by now? "That was my family, that was all I needed."

"That's too much pressure to put on three people!" She snaps, like a rubber band, stretched to its limit. Worn over years and years of straining to stay in place. "You of all people understand that codependency is toxic. You've seen firsthand what it does to people. You know how shitty it feels to be the kid who lost not one, but BOTH of their parents, because they couldn't live without eachother. And I will never do that to Pandora. I have worked so hard to heal from all the shitty things my parents did. To learn to form healthy relationships. Being in love is not supposed to be broken people gluing themselves together to become whole. It's about complete people, coming together, and choosing to become something else. I am still myself, with or without you. But you never learned how to do that, you never healed because you didn't think you could. You can, and I see that, and Emori sees that. You're so afraid to even try, and that breaks my heart. But it also makes me really fucking mad at you, because I know how incredible you are; how incredible you can be if you just allow yourself to want it. We were attached at the hip for twelve years until we got locked up, I didn't know what to do without you. When we were on the ground, after you left, I had to learn. I did it because I had to. I could either learn how to be without you, or I could die trying. Because you were gone, for all I knew you weren't coming back. It sucked, and I can't count the number of times I cried myself to sleep. But I did it, and I survived, I'm better for it. Instead of taking this time to better yourself, you're just sulking over everything that you don't have. But look at everything you do have. Look at all you've done, all you've learned, all those things are worth something. But you're the one that has to believe that; not me, not Emori. Until you fix what's broken in here," Isla jabs a finger into his chest. "This will never work out Johnny. Can you try to understand that please?" It's not that she doesn't love him, she does. So she wants things for him that he doesn't dare want for himself. "Let me help you." She breathes, opening herself up to him one, last, time. Allowing herself to be vulnerable, giving him the chance to really hurt her; in the hopes that he might surprise her with something else.

"How?" He wonders.

"You know what happens when you break a bone and it doesn't heal properly?"

"Hurts." John nods, carefully with the scissors beside his ear.

"There's a way to fix it." Isla reminds him.

"Rebreak it, that sounds like a boatload of fun." Murphy remarks dryly.

"It can hurt now or it can hurt forever. You have to decide which one you can live with."

He smiles humorlessly, "you really think that this thing between us can be fixed?"

"I hope so." She shrugs, she wants to fix it.

"Look maybe if it was just you but Emori-" He pauses to think about it. How much Emori used to love him, how much she doesn't anymore. "No. She can't even look at me."

"You hurt her." Isla tells him defensively.

"I hurt her?" Murphy has to keep himself from laughing. "She's the one who kicked me out. Emori ended things with me."

"She's a person, with feelings. You either failed to realize that, or just stopped giving a shit."

"You saw how she is, what she turned into. Working all damn day and night like a machine. Just like..." He breaks off.

"Just like what? Just like me? You can say it." Isla has feelings, more than she cares to admit. But she had filed them away into neat little boxes, that was her mistake.

"You didn't have time for me and you didn't give a damn about me." John felt it, how she iced him out.

"That's a lie. I always had time for you." He's the one who wouldn't go back to the lab with her after they had to use the hydrozen. He's the one who wouldn't help Emori and Raven. He's the one who isolated himself. "You didn't want to do anything, you didn't want to help. Picking fights all the time, apologize and kiss it better for a day, before you were back on your bullshit. That's no way for a person to live."

"That's no way for you to live." He corrects her, "nineteen years is a long time, people change, maybe we just don't fit together anymore. You won't even fight for this one time."

"I have fought for you since I was five, and I will always fight for you...but I'm tired. I need you to fight for me now. If you want this. If you want me, if you want Emori, if you want our family, you need to fight like hell for it." Please want it, she finishes with her eyes.

"Maybe I just don't have any fight left in me." He admits.

"You don't think you deserve anyone's love, so you do everything in your power to make sure you don't have it." She pauses, tears welling in her eyes as she strokes her thumb over her his cheek. "No one deserves to hurt all the time, no one deserves to have their heart broken. Especially Emori, you know that."

"That's the love you deserve; Emori's. Just like she deserves yours. There's no place for me in that equation." They were thriving, he wasn't.

"Of course there is." Isla feels everything come spilling out of their neat little boxes.

"I used to think so. Truth is you and Emori are made for each other. I was only ever in the way." John knows he shouldn't be mad at her and Emori for falling in love. What else could a person do but love them? He was the reason there were sides to choose from. Of course neither of them picked his. "I don't want to hurt either one of you anymore, I don't want to disappoint you anymore, so I can't be with you anymore."

"I'm sorry I couldn't make you happy." That realization sits so heavy in her chest that breathing was nearly impossible, "I tried." Isla pulls away because if she doesn't...

Don't go, Murphy wants to scream at her. I'll do better, he knows he can't. That doesn't make him want it any less. "I'll come by for P in the morning, before you go to work."

"You're a good Dad." Isla says, just incase he doesn't know. "We all agree on that."

"Right back at ya." He smiles sadly, dusting the fallen hair from his shoulders. "Mom, I mean, you're a damn good one."

"Thanks." Isla nods, "enjoy your new hack job." With that she stuffs the scissors and comb into her back pocket and leaves.

John clunks his fist against his skull, he's an idiot, a dick, a leech, a fuck up, useless. He has ruined the one good thing that he had going for him.

He shows up to Monty's algae beer fest a few days later. The stuff tastes like shit, but it gets them drunk and they fall into bed together. Having some weird, tearful, hate sex, that made him feel worse than when they'd started. Luckily he doesn't see Isla or Emori after that, save for handing Pandora back and forth; so he doesn't have to acknowledge or address the way that night made him feel. The little girl often asks when he's coming home, not one of them have the heart to tell her he never is.

Day 2201

"Time for dinner, and then it's off to bed with you." Isla says playfully, flying her daughter toward the table.

"Wait Mommy!" The little girl protests, now three years old, and incredibly well spoken. "I wanna give Mama kisses."

"Alright," Isla moves her through the air like a plane.

Bellamy smiles fondly, he remembers it from when she herself was a child.

"Coming in for a landing." Isla swings Pandora close to Emori's face, letting her peck a kiss to her mother's cheek.

"Hi P!" Emori greets her, removing her headset.

"Take a break," Bellamy tells her, as the group makes their way to the dinner table.

Emori returns her daughter's kiss moving to stand. Catching Isla's lips along the way.

Isla grins against Emori's mouth. "Hey."

"How was your day Niron?" The brunette asks.

"It was good." Her wife nods.

"Did Pandora behave for you?" Emori winks at the little girl.

"Yes Mama, I was a good girl." Pandora throws up her arms proudly. "We played with Harper, I looked in the microscope, and I saw the poop recycler."

"Mmm." Emori hums, faking excitement.

"Maybe we should save the poop talk until after we eat?" Echo suggests from across the table.

"This isn't eating," Raven argues, "it's surviving."

"Introducing the new and improved triple G." Monty holds up a full ladle of green liquid, spooning it into bowls.

"He calls this one, greens green goop." Harper hands the bowls down the line.

"Tastes better," Echo shrugs. "Has a better name too."

"If by better you mean, doesn't make you want to violently hurl, then sure." Raven concedes.

Isla makes a mad dash for the bucket in the corner. That's the second time this week.

Emori wonders idly if she could have developed an allergy to algae. "Isla?"

"I'm fine," the blonde grumbles.

"You should go lie down." Monty tells her, watching with a worried expression.

She gives him a thumbs up, taking her puke bucket with her, to rinse out.

"How far along is she?" Harper asks Emori with a soft smile.

"With what?" Emori's brows pull together, they're the ones she works closely with. They know more than she does about Isla's projects.

"The baby," Harper shrugs.

"Isla's not-" Emori pauses, leaning closer. "Did she say something?"

"No but she's been really tired, not feeling well, super moody, now throwing up." Harper ticks off on her fingers. "It could be something else, but we just assumed that she's pregnant."

Emori lowers her eyes, she hadn't noticed. Or maybe she had and didn't want to acknowledge it. Because what would that mean for the two of them? Would they tell John? Of course, they'd have to eventually, but when? And what will he do once he finds out? There was a time when Emori would have been over the moon for this baby, she will be again; once she wraps her head around the idea. Once they figure out the logistics. If Isla is even pregnant, which Emori is starting to truly believe that she is.

"Get anything on the radio today?" Bellamy asks, redirecting the conversation.

"No." Emori shakes her head.

"I told you it's a waste of time, atmospheric radiation is blocking the sound waves." The mechanic explains. "They're down there, we just can't talk to them."

"We waste our time so they know there's a place they can live." Bellamy offers, by way of explanation.

"The ground has been survivable for over a year now. They can live anywhere." Raven reminds him.

"How's Eden?" Monty wonders, "any change?"

"Nope, still just a dot." Bellamy grumbles, slightly put off by Raven's comment.

Pandora tunes out their small talk, finishing her serving of algae, and moving to the floor. Taking the bowl along with her, to pound on like a drum.

"Tomorrow I'll try again, to boost the signal from the antenna." Raven chugs her remaining algae.

"Shot gun!" Emori yells, pointing down at Monty. "Spacewalk, yes."

"I know the feeling," Raven eyes her friend carefully. "But I need an assistant who will actually listen when I tell her to come in."

"I will do everything you say, I promise." Emori swears, "no fun of any kind."

"Or we could just get down there and tell them about Eden ourselves." Bellamy suggests with a shrug.

"Bellamy, she worked on the fuel problem all morning." Emori reminds him between gritted teeth.

"Six years and seven days." He holds his hands up.

"Hey!" Harper interjects, "time violation. Dishes, latrine, or Murphy; you choose."

"I'm sorry." The older boy sighs, "we said we wouldn't talk about it, and I know you're doing everything you can."

Raven nods.

Bellamy holds out his bowl to Monty.

"Seconds," he says hopefully.

"Yeah right." Bellamy chuckles, "I choose Murphy."

"Daddy." Pandora recognizes the name, "I wanna come Bell. Can I see Daddy too?"

"Next time kid," Bellamy smiles indulgently, at her before leaving the room.

"I would have gone with latrines." Emori's voice is low and bitter, for the adults ears only.

Raven leaves the table without a word.

Emori opens her mouth, as if to say something, before snapping it shut.

* * *

Bellamy makes his way down the long stretch of hallway, to the corridor where Murphy can usually be found lurking; or sulking, depending on who you ask. He rounds the corner only to be assaulted from behind. The bowl of algae slipping from his hand as Murphy attaches himself to Bellamy's back.

"This is my side of the ship remember?" John grumbles, tighten his arms around Bellamy's neck.

"Is this how you welcome all your visitors?" Bellamy shoots back, ramming Murphy into the wall to set himself free.

"No, but you're not as cute as my kid or as hot as either of my ex wives." Murphy explains, moving to his feet. Landing a punch to Bellamy's jaw. "You wanted me to train, so let's do it."

"If I win you come back to the group." Bellamy challenges.

"No deal," John scoffs at the offer. "Too many rules; besides, there's no one to disappoint over here."

"Except your little girl who just begged to come see you." Bellamy cocks his head to the side. If he can't give a shit about his sister or Emori, surely he can give a shit about his kid.

"Could've brought her." He replies dryly.

"I know what your problem is. You like being a hero. Thing is, up here there are no heroes. And you're afraid you've become worthless again. You're not worthless Murphy." He slams the younger man into the glass of the window, knocking the air from his lungs.

"Bellamy look," Murphy struggles in his grasp. Catching a glimpse of another ship out of the corner of his eye.

"Say you're not worthless and I'll let you go." Bellamy insist, keeping Murphy firmly in place.

"I'm not kidding Bellamy, look. Look!" John demands.

Bellamy finally does look down, seeing the ship. He releases Murphy, pulling him upright. "Come on."

* * *

"We've been standing here for two hours, let's light up the Ring and show them that we're here." Murphy huffs impatiently, his shipmates hovered around the observation window.

"Quiet, Murphy." Bellamy shuts him down. "First we find out who they are, then we ask for help. Raven?" He turns to her for an update.

"Nothing," she shakes her head, still toying with the controls, "their comm system might be disabled."

"Or the ship could be unmanned." Emori offers, looking over at her.

"Or they could be aliens who prefer anal probes to radios, doesn't really matter as long as they get us back down to the ground. I'm turning on the lights." Murphy moves for the controls.

"You know what, that's enough." Emori moves around the table, putting herself directly in his path. "We make decisions as a team here, even if we can't stand the sight of each other."

This derails him for a moment, he wonders how much of his disappointment plays across his face before he can school it back to indifference. "Look all I'm saying is that it wasn't there yesterday, and now it's in geosynchronous orbit; which means someone is piloting it. Correct?"

"Could be an A.I."

"I'd prefer the aliens." Monty chimes in.

"Something's happening." Echo takes a step closer to the window.

"A second ship." Harper sees it too.

"That could be a transport." Raven makes her way back toward the controls. "Emori, fire up the radio."

"Now she wants to talk." Murphy purses his lips.

"Mayday, mayday, we are hailing the dropship now on reentry to earth. We are stranded aboard the space station to your west. Please respond." Raven speak rapidly into the headset.

Emori watches on, arms crossed anxiously.

"Great, looks like we just lost our only way back to the ground." John stuffs both hands into his pockets with a shrug.

"Mayday, mayday," Raven persists despite his comment. "I am calling the dropship now on reentry to earth."

Silence from the other end.

"If they have a dropship, they must have fuel." Emori says after mulling it over for a long moment.

"Hydrozen?" Echo asks, turning to face them.

"Yes." The mechanic nods. It's a long shot, but it's the best they've got. "Fuel up the rocket and get packing, we leave tonight."

* * *

Emori pauses at the door of the bedroom, gathering her thoughts. Should she say something? Should she say nothing and wait for Isla to bring it up?

The door slides open. Pandora has found her way into their bed, huddled securely in Isla's arms. Emori grins, Isla is a good mother. Sometimes she thinks, better than herself. Emori loves her, more than she knows how to put into words. She will love this new child too, she recalls the smell of a sweet new baby. Without further delay she grabs her bag and begins loading things inside. Then there's a knock. Emori stills, hitting the access pad to open it. "John?" She whispers, "what do you want?"

"The rest of my stuff, I thought I could help with P too. Bellamy said she wanted to see me." Murphy explains, half expecting the door to slam shut in his face.

"It's late, she's sleeping. Come in and be quiet."

"Isla's sleeping too," He remarks as Emori moves aside to let him in. "So much for being a night owl."

"Shut up John." Emori hushes him.

"I missed our little talks Em." He laughs bitterly, "I ask about your day, you tell me to, 'shut up John.' I always feel the love."

Emori rolls her eyes. "That's not exactly how I remember it."

"Hmm," he hums, "guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. You might want to wake her up." Murphy nods his head toward Isla, "let her know what's going on. Or I could just do it." He reaches for her.

"Don't!" Emori snaps, sounding more aggressive than she meant to. "Don't touch her."

John drops his hand back to his side. "What's the matter? Is she ok?"

"She's fine." Emori composes herself.

"Are you ok?" He steps closer than he's dared to in weeks.

"Yes." Emori sighs, "I'm sorry."

"If something is wrong you can tell me, you know that right?" He offers, "I know I'm an asshole, but I'm still here if you need me."

"I think she might be pregnant." Emori tells him, tapping her fingers nervously against the strap of her bag.

"What?" Murphy stammers.

"She still has the implant in her arm so I'm not sure if it's possible." Emori watches his reaction warily.

"Implants are good for up to eight years, she got it the day she turned sixteen. It should have been replaced on her birthday but we weren't together so, Isla probably figured she didn't need to." He shrugs. "Then we literally fucked everything up. Ain't that a bitch."

"She's going to want you around more." Emori knows Isla misses him.

"What about you?" John wonders.

"I'll give her that." Emori nods in resolution. She misses him too.

"She still thinks we've got a shot at this thing." He recalls the little chat they'd had during his hair cut. The talk that drew him away from his side of the ship to Monty's party, subsequently resulting in this. "Did she tell you that?"

"Yes." Emori breathes.

"What do you think?" Murphy asks, keeping his guard up.

"I'm in this for her and our daughter and this baby, but that's all I'm in for." Emori tells him firmly.

"Got it." There's nothing else to say.

"If Isla wants you...to be together. I'll give her that too. But you and me; that's done." Emori needs to set clear boundaries or else they'll fall right back into the same destructive pattern that landed them here to begin with.

"Ok." It's not ok. She's got walls up, he made her put them there. She doesn't owe him anything, but he still loves her, he still hopes. "I love you Emori. I know things got lost in translation and it spiraled out of control from there but I do love you. I always have and I always will. I'm not trying to change anything you said about us together, but I need you to know that."

"I love you too." Her confession is quick and she wants to follow it with something like, 'but that doesn't matter anymore.' She holds her tongue, they need each other.

"Come on," he opens his arms for her, "bring it in."

"John," she shakes her head in disbelief.

"It's just a hug," he smirks, "it's only weird if you make it weird."

Emori sighs, stepping into the familiar cage of his arms, his chin resting at the top of her head over her scarf. They hold each other for a long time, until the awkwardness of their situation melts away and they are just John and Emori again. Holding onto each other for dear life.


	10. May We Meet Again

"Emori," Isla calls tentatively. The other woman has not spoken a word to her since dragging her out of bed with the promise of going to the ground.

"What?" Emori replies, in the coldest tone Isla had ever heard her speak.

"Are you ignoring me?" Isla stops packing, reaching a hand out to her.

"No, Isla." The brunette huffs. "Keeping secrets and the silent treatment are your weapons of choice, not mine."

"Holy tongue lashing." Isla scoffs, "what'd I do this time?"

"You're pregnant." Emori accuses.

Isla squares her shoulders, jaw ticking as she does, "yes."

"When were you going to tell me?" Emori asks. "When your belly got too big to hide?"

"I just found out for sure." Isla shakes her head. "We've both been working longer hours and-"

"When were you going to tell me?" Emori repeats, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I wanted to do something special." Isla looks down at the floor wistfully. "You'd come home from work, P would run up and hug you and tell you that she's gonna be a big sister. I guess that was stupid. I know the situation isn't ideal but I wanted you to be happy. Maybe that was stupid too. I don't know. If you're gonna chew me out, go ahead. Get it over with, so we can focus on getting to the ground."

Emori sighs. "Isla."

Isla turns her back to Emori, before she can see her cry, continuing to gather her belongings.

"I'm sorry for being a bitch." Emori's says, her voice returning to normal. Of course Isla wanted to do something thoughtful for her, she always did. Even though their relationship has been turbulent recently, and they've been trying to find their footing without John; they were working to salvage what they had left.

Isla smiles, despite her best efforts not to. Emori has adopted a few choice words up in space. Bitch being one of them, and Isla finds it adorable.

"I'm sorry I was a super bitch, the bitchiest bitch who ever lived-"

"That's a bit of a stretch." Isla chuckles.

"I am sorry," Emori presses kisses to her shoulder through the material of her shirt. "I love you, very much; and I love this baby." She moves her hands down to rest on Isla's lower belly. This is the most intimate they've been in atleast a month. Emori wishes they could fix that now but as usual, there's no time.

"Don't say it just because that's what you think I want to hear Em." Isla taps her fingers against Emori's wrists. "It's ok if you're not happy."

"I'm happy about the baby. No matter what else is going on, that will always be true."

Isla nods, turning to face her. "Did you tell John?"

"Don't worry about him, we'll figure it out. I don't want you to worry about anything." She kisses Isla's cheek, thumbing away any stray tears.

Isla leans in, pressing her lips to Emori's.

She knows that this isn't the time but Isla is all flushed pink cheeks and wandering hands. Emori misses her, loves her, wants her; so badly it hurts. When Isla reaches for her scarf, she lets it fall, hair now freely hanging around her face. Isla kisses Emori's cheek over her tattoo, then the other on the raised skin of her scar, down to the cleft of her chin.

"Gotta wrap it up scissor sisters," John interrupts, popping his head in the door, and staring for longer than he should. "Raven wants Emori to run the preflight check. She took Pandora as ransom.

Emori groans, dropping her forehead against Isla's. "Raven can wait."

"Now that's a concept," Murphy chimes in. "If you're really desperate, I could lend a helping hand."

"Not that desperate." Emori rolls her eyes at his advances.

"It's fine," Isla assures her. "Go finish getting us ready to fly."

"See you soon." Emori untangles herself, from the chemist. "Keep it in your pants, John." Emori says, feeling a smile tug at the corner of her mouth.

"I'll do my best." He salutes her as she moves past him into the hall. "Word on the street is, you've got a little dimpled bun in the oven."

"Do you have a preference this time?" He hadn't when Emori was pregnant, but that was a long time ago. "Boy or girl?" Isla wonders.

"When we were growing up I always imagined a boy." Murphy shrugs noncommittal, "but after having P, I might be a little partial to girls. That being said I'm happy either way."

"You imagined us with a kid." Isla cocks her head to the side.

"Course I did, your dad was gonna hook me up with a good spot on the guard. We'd get married, when we were super old like twenty five, and we'd have a baby. A little boy, that looked just like you and we called him JJ." John shoots a crooked grin in her direction.

"John Jr." Isla raises a brow, "you know I don't like juniors."

"I was nine, give me a break." He chuckles at her reaction.

"You really wanted to marry me?" She smiles conspiratorially.

"Who wouldn't?"

"Well," Isla shrugs, looking him up and down, "you've got a point there."

"I'm sorry it didn't work out." John admits.

"Me too." The air between them shifts, first to sadness; then after a moment to something else.

"I wouldn't mind trying again." Murphy throws it out there, because he has nothing to lose.

"What?" The blonde stammers.

"I'm just saying that door is always open. It doesn't have to be right now, but someday. When we get all this shit figured out. And for the record Isles, you always did make me happy. When you couldn't, that wasn't your fault." He wants her, he wants Emori, he wants his family back, and he is prepared to fight like hell.

Isla rushes him, throwing her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

Murphy's lips are in her hair, breathing her in.

"Final sweep, you good to go?" Bellamy wraps twice, against the door frame.

"Yeah," Isla pulls away first, grabbing her bag off the bed.

"Hey, woah, woah." Murphy protests, taking it from her, "let me."

"Johnny." Isla rolls her eyes.

"You shouldn't be lifting things." He slings the bag over his shoulder.

"What do you know, I guess there are heroes in space." Bellamy laughs, shaking his head as he goes.

"Rocket's this way Bell." Isla calls after Bellamy as he continues down the corridor.

"Be there in five, kid." Bellamy nods.

* * *

They strap Pandora into the rocket, making sure to adjust the length accordingly. Isla is on one side with John on the other, Emori with Raven at the controls.

"Ready for lift off, in three, two, one." Raven announces and the pod separates from the Ring.

"Are we flying Mommy?" Pandora bounces her feet off the bottom of her seat.

"Yeah babygirl, we're flying." Isla smiles down at her.

"Do you like flying Daddy?" The little girl struggles to turn her head inside the oversized helmet.

"Sure do," Murphy grins.

"Mama's gonna drive the rocket," Pandora mimics the motion with her hands, wide blue eyes fixed straight ahead. "She's really good."

"Mama's gonna pilot the rocket," Murphy corrects her, "and yeah, she better be. She's been practicing for a long time. Since before you were even born."

"Woah." Pandora breathes in wonder. "Can I drive the rocket when I get big?"

"You can do anything you want to do, Niron." Emori smiles fondly, beneath her helmet.

"I wanna fly like you and Boom. I wanna make stuff like Mommy and Monty. I wanna fight like Bellamy and Echo, and I wanna be a good helper like Harper and Daddy! Can I do that Mama? Can I?" The little girl jerks on her straps in excitement.

"Anything you want." Emori repeats.

"Helper?" John huffs, "everybody else gets an awesome title and I get stuck with helper?"

"Helpers are awesome Daddy." Pandora shouts over at her father. "Without helpers the flyers can't fly, the makers can't make, and the fighters can't fight. Helpers are the best."

"Aww," Harper coos, "P. That's so sweet."

"Look at the monitor, Pandora." Raven points at the screen in front of her. "What is that?"

"The big ship!" The little girl cries in excitement.

"Boys and girls, meet Eligius four." Raven says.

"Powering a better tomorrow." Emori reads aloud.

"Must be a mining ship." Raven breathes.

"Mining in space?" Harper asks skeptically.

"I've heard stories." Monty explains, turning to her. "Missions sent to mine asteroids or search for habitable planets. That was over a hundred years ago."

"Means they must have fuel." Bellamy offers.

"Now that's a ship with a story to tell." Raven says, moving the control slightly. "It looks like one of the engines was destroyed. At least the hab is still rotating, that means they'll have gravity. Sorry love birds, no zero g space sex."

"Boom, what's sex?" Pandora asks, blinking at her innocently.

"That's a great question P." Raven gives her a thumbs up. "One that I don't have an appropriate answer to. So I will hand that over to you Murphy. What is sex?"

"Something only adults can do." Murphy states firmly, staring down at her sweet face. A perfect mix of him and Emori, he wonders what his next child will look like, "and only when they really love each other. There's more to it, but it's really boring. Ask me in thirty years."

"Ok Daddy." She shrugs happily.

"We're gonna have to start s-p-e-l-l-i-n-g." Murphy grumbles.

"That was really f-u-c-k-i-n-g close." Raven half smiles in agreement.

"There's the docking bay." Emori calls their attention back to the task at hand.

"I hate to ask this now, but what if they don't let us dock?" Monty begins, thrumming his fingers against Harper's thigh anxiously.

"We've been through this." Echo looks over at him from across the ship. "If they were still inside and saw a foreign ship trying to board them, they would shoot us out of the sky."

"Alright," Raven nods, "commencing operation uninvited guests. Firing thrusters in three, two, one." The pod lurches forward. "Emori, once I line us up with the hab, it's all yours. On my mark."

"Ok, we're in alignment." Emori narrows her eyes at the monitor somewhat nervously.

"The nav is yours." Raven tells her, "it's just like the simulator."

"Copy that." Emori takes the controls from the mechanic.

"Grounders don't say copy that." Murphy quips.

"This one does." Emori snaps back, more irritable than normal. "Initiating docking sequence."

"We are so s-c-r-e-w-e-d." John sniffs.

"Shut up John." Emori say in exasperation.

"Why are we losing alignment?" Raven demands, as the warning sirens begin to ring throughout the rocket.

"Commencing stabilization." Emori flips the switches, doing her best to remain calm. "I don't know."

"Mama? What's happening?" Pandora asks, she wants desperately to cover her ears but she can't. She struggles against her harness.

"Nothing Niron, we're almost there." Emori replies, feeling a bubble of panic erupt in her chest.

"I don't like it Mommy, I want to get out." Pandora reaches for the button securing her seatbelt.

"I know babygirl, it's ok." Isla closes her eyes, doing her best to choke down the fresh wave of nausea.

John puts a restraining hand on his daughters leg, "stop it P."

"We're coming in too fast." Raven shouts, not at all helping the little girl's current melt down. "Ok I got it, I got it! Switching back to manual. Hold on. We're coming in hot."

The rocket finally comes to a stop and they all let out a shaky breath.

"That was fun, let's do it again some time." John let's go of Pandora as she stills her frantic tugging.

Isla slaps his helmet, hard.

"Let's go, suits off in the cargo hold." Bellamy as usual is all business, completely ignoring his dysfunctional shipmates.

Murphy unbuckles the little girl between himself and Isla, lifting Pandora into his arms. Exiting after Bellamy.

Isla unhooks her own straps, noticing Emori still hasn't moved. She stops to do away with the brunette's helmet, kneading her tense shoulders. "You'll get it next time."

Emori sighs, resting her cheek against the top of Isla's hand; following her out of the rocket, too embarrassed to meet anyone's eyes.

Once the airlock door opens, the alarm screeching amplifies.

"That's just annoying," Murphy remarks as Pandora buries her face in his chest, both hands pressed tightly over her ears.

"If someone was here they'd shut it off right?" Harper takes a step into the ship.

Echo draws her sword, earning a wary look from Bellamy. "We don't know what we're walking into."

"We've gotta move fast," Bellamy instructs.

Raven grabs Emori's arm as she tries to pass her. "Not you, you should run a full diagnostic check on the pod. That was a big impact, we need to see if we took on any damage."

Emori nods, "P can stay here then, it's not as loud."

"I could stay too," Murphy offers, "incase you need help."

"Help how?" Emori snaps. "By making your stupid little jokes?"

"You used to like my stupid little jokes." He brushes off her comment. "Maybe if you weren't so s-e-x-ually frustrated-"

Isla pinches the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger.

"Enough, Harper will stay here with Pandora and Emori. Everybody else, you're with me." Bellamy steps in to defuse the situation before it gets out of hand, as Murphy and Emori tend to do these days.

Harper takes the little girl into her arms, using the access panel to close the airlock door between them and the others.

"This place is like a maze," Bellamy notes, illuminating their path down the hallway with his flashlight. "No inmates past this point," the overhead sign reads.

"Inmates," Echo repeats, unfamiliar with the term.

"Prison labor," Monty confirms. "Mining missions were dangerous, they sent people they thought were expendable."

"Sounds familiar," Murphy muses, sneaking a glance in Isla's direction.

"Relax, their ancestors were prisoners a hundred years ago. The descendants on that transport ship are survivors; just like us." Raven says, stepping to the head of the group. "Come on, the bridge is this way." The metal doors have a giant hole in the center, "looks like someone forgot their key." She remarks, stepping into the control room; waiting for the others to do the same. "Jackpot."

"Something bad happened here." Bellamy can feel it radiating from the walls.

"Monty," the mechanic calls for him.

"Override the ships schematics to find out where they keep their hydrozen?" He finishes for her.

"Yes." She nods. "But first let's kill stupid alarm." Raven does just that.

"Thank you." Bellamy sighs as silence washes over them.

Raven half smirks at him, coding deeper into the computer files.

"Hmm," Murphy hums, "Captain's chair." He motions for Isla to sit.

"Don't mind if I do." Isla smiles, making herself comfortable in the leather arm chair.

"The ship doesn't run off hydrozen." Raven informs them, her fingers dancing along the keyboard. "They could never store enough for a long duration mission."

"What then?" Bellamy wonders, both hands on his hips.

"Looks like... hytholodium." Raven narrows her eyes at the screen in front of her.

"Must have been what they were mining for." Monty adds. "Incredibly efficienct and easy to store-"

"Spare me the science lesson." Murphy cuts him off. "Can we use it to land the pod, or not?"

"Sure, if you want to explode every cell in your body." Raven shoots back.

"Can Isla turn it into something we can use?" John's seen her do more with less.

"Sure, if you want to explode every cell in her body." Raven cocks her head to the side, looking back at Murphy over her shoulder.

"No can do Reyes, she's carrying precious cargo." He winks back at her.

"So if she wasn't, you'd feel differently?" The mechanic returns to her work at the computer.

"Raven." Bellamy warns with a shake of his head.

"Just because the ship doesn't run on hydrozen, doesn't mean they don't have any on board." She types a different sequence into the controls. Finding exactly what she's looking for, a display of the ships stored fuel tanks. "Boom, the crowd goes wild."

"So we have a way down?" Echo asks, still not fully onboard with Raven's terminology.

"We have a way down." Raven confirms.

"That's not all we have," Monty flips the silver switch in front of him. "Laser comm."

Isla hears a voice not belonging to any of her ship mates of the past six years. It isn't one she recognizes, but still she rushes out of the chair.

"Can we talk to them?" John asks, following her over.

"First we find out who they are, and then we talk." Bellamy reasons.

"I've got something better than movement; I've got tracks." The man on the other end of the lazer comm says.

"They're hunting our people." Raven crosses both arms over her chest.

"We don't know that." John offers, glancing over at Isla.

"We know there was no one else left on the ground." Bellamy mutters, Octavia is down there.

"Whatever this is, Octavia can handle it." Echo assures Bellamy.

Isla inhales sharply at the name, John catches her hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Move over," Raven nudges Monty from his chair.

"What are you doing?" Echo wonders, staring over her shoulder.

"Finding out who we're dealing with." Raven's brows furrow in concentration.

"McCreary," the female voice sounds, "we heard gun shots report. Over."

"Relax colonel," McCreary responds almost immediately. "I told you we'd get her, and we did. She's a feisty one, pretty too."

"Bring her to me." The elegized colonel demands in a brisk tone.

"We've gotta get down there, now." Bellamy fights to keep his composure.

They split up then, to cover more ground. Monty, Echo, and Murphy break off to get the hydrozen and fill up the pod, leaving Bellamy, Isla, and Raven to dig a little deeper into the files, about who was waiting for them on the ground.

"Murder, murder, murder, arson resulting in murder, armed robbery, also resulting in murder." Bellamy scrolls through the list of prisoners on board.

"Arson isn't so bad," Isla shrugs a shoulder. That's what landed Murphy in lock up. "Unless the murder was intentional."

"Three hundred inmates, twenty five guards, and twelve crew." Bellamy scratches the back of his neck.

"Relax." Raven insists. "Great, Great, Grandpappy Blake was an astronaut with how many PHDs?"

"I don't know? Four?" Bellamy purses his lips.

"And how many do you have?" Raven asks to prove her point. "Oh wait, shut up. I got it. The captain's log."

"The last entry was over a hundred years ago, play that one." Bellamy points toward the screen.

"Aye, aye, Captain." Raven agrees, hitting the button.

The frantic rambling of the man on the captain's log does nothing to settle their nerves. Who ever these prisoners are, they had inside help killing the crew, one of the lieutenants. Bellamy looks behind them, finding the mug in the back of the frame is still where it was in the video. He lifts it up for a moment, mulling over their next move.

"Cryo. The captain said they were trying to deactivate cryo." Raven spins her chair around just in time to see the man charging toward them through the hole in the metal door. "Bellamy look out."

It's too late, the bearded man tosses Isla aside easily, the side of her head connecting with the corner of the desk. The man moves for Bellamy next, tossing punches, Raven attempts to help but doesn't do much impact before he knockes the breath from her with a blow to the gut. They continue grappling, never really standing a chance until Echo shows up. Slashing the man across his back and then spearing him through the middle as he turns to face her. Knocking her back and allowing Bellamy enough time to get the black plastic tube around his neck. Cutting off his airflow until he stops struggling.

"Son of a bitch," Isla murmurs, coming to and kicking at the mans lifeless body weakly. Then venturing up to touch her throbbing forehead, fingers coming away bloody.

"One down, two hundred and ninety nine to go." Raven breathes, getting her bearings.

* * *

"It's gonna need stitches, good news is, you'll live. Bad news is, this is gonna hurt like a bitch." John tells Isla, kneeling before her with the medical kit. "That's what you get for trying to be a hero."

"Must be contagious." Isla quirks a brow, the slice on her forehead screaming in protest.

He starts by disinfecting the gash. Isla hissing as he does.

"Sorry Isles," Murphy mutters under his breath.

"Just do it." She grumbles.

He pinches the skin together once the bleeding slows, pressing the needle through one side and out the other. "Breathe," Murphy insists. "Last thing I need is you passing out on my watch."

"I'm breathing." Isla says through clenched teeth.

"Now you sound like Emori in labor." Murphy muses, feeling Isla's hand clamp down on his knee. "Crazy isn't it? Getting ready to do all this stuff again." He attempts to distract her.

"Crazy about sums it up." Isla agrees.

"What do you want?" He echoes her question from earlier. "Boy? Girl? Something in between?"

"We have a girl, a boy might be nice. Or he might break my heart into a million tiny pieces." She sniffs, "luck of the draw I guess."

"I never want to hurt you." Part of him suspects she always knows that. "I was just so miserable I couldn't stop. I should have asked for help, I should have talked to you and Emori and told you how I felt. You're a person, not a buoy in the middle of the ocean, and that's how I was holding on to you. I'm sorry."

"I still love you Johnny. I still want to be with you. We could grow old together, grow young together. Reunite our sexual tag team that Emori says she hates, but I think she secretly loves. We could have more babies-"

"How hard did you hit your head?" He smirks, cocking his head to the side.

"Not as hard as I'm about to hit yours if you don't say it back." She bats at his leg with her hand.

"I love you Frankenstein." He fight the urge to lean in and kiss her. "You're all stitched up."

"Thank you." She smiles.

He tapes down a piece of gauze over the freshly sealed wound. "We should get back to the airlock, I'm sure by now Raven's got the cryo pods rewired."

* * *

Isla and John make it back to the airlock just in time to hear Emori demanding Raven's whereabouts.

"It's technical," Bellamy clears his throat, treading lightly. "But uh, somebody has to stay up here and man the cryo pods."

"What?" Harper whispers in disbelief, they can't possibly be leaving one of their own behind.

"There's an escape pod that she can take down if we can't make a deal. She'll be fine." Bellamy made sure of it.

"I'm staying too." Murphy says after mulling it over.

"John." Emori shakes her head.

John sighs, resigned to his fate. "You want me to do better, this is part of that. Besides, with you flying this is a survivors move. Get to the ground, take care of each other, save our friends. See you on the other side."

"Daddy wait!" Pandora protests, "I have to say the words."

"What words P?" His resolve nearly crumbles when she jumps into his arms.

"In peace may you leave the shore. In love may you find the next. Safe passage on your travels, until our final journey on the ground. May we meet again." Pandora resites the travelers prayer Isla had taught her.

"May we meet again." Murphy pulls her tiny form closer, stroking her soft dark hair. "I love you Pandora, don't ever forget that."

"I love you Daddy." She sings against his ear, moving to stare at him with wide blue eyes. "I see you on the other side."

"See you there." He sets her back on her feet, waiting until she's inside the airlock before closing the door between them. Murphy feels pretty damn confident in his decision to stay behind. This was the first step back to what he really wants. He likes chaos, he likes the fog of war, anything to distract him from his own demons but he doesn't need them. Not the way he needs his family. Then Raven informs him that she lied about the escape pod, and royally fucks up every plan he had.


	11. Omon Gon Oson

The ground is not all it's cracked up to be, as far as Pandora's concerned. Daddy and Boom got left in space. Mama didn't crash the rocket, but a bunch of men pointed guns at them. Then there was a girl, older than her, but not a grown up; Madi. She helps them. Dragging Bell by the hand to her big metal moving machine, because the Clarke was alive; and in trouble.

"Mama, when do I get to see the Clarke?" Pandora's heard stories all her life about the Clarke. How it saved Mama, Daddy, Mommy and everyone else. But the Clarke couldn't come to space and everybody misses it really bad. Especially Bellamy.

"Clarke is a person Pandora, you'll see her soon." Emori tries to smile, but the strained muscles in her face are apparent and do nothing to comfort the little girl.

Her Mommy leaves with Bellamy, to save Clarke, and get the people that are stuck in the ground. Pandora wants to go with them but Mama and Echo told her no. The people outside have a lot of guns, P decides that she doesn't like guns and she wishes they could go back home. Away from the bad men, and the guns, and the big moving machine. Emori tells her that this is their home now and that things will be better soon. She hopes so.

Emori hasn't been apart from Isla, for any extended period of time, in over six years. The idea of her, pregnant and not safely tucked away in the woods with the rest of them, causes a knot in the pit of her stomach. Logically she knows Bellamy will take care of her, that Isla has to go with him. Because she wouldn't be Isla Marin if she didn't. Her wife needs to be there when that bunker opens, she has to let her go. But doing so is harder than she'd anticipated. John is still in space, leaving her and their daughter as the only remaining members of their immediate family. Emori feels vulnerable, exposed, she pushes that away to focus on what's in front of her. Finding food, shelter, and water for Pandora. She wonders how Clarke, the reason they were all alive, didn't go mad down here all alone with just one other person. Emori wants more than anything to thank her, for this extraordinary life. And she will when she sees her...soon.

* * *

Murphy looks for a distraction in anything and everything. He's glad only Bellamy and Clarke speak to them over the radio, because Isla and Emori still don't know about the no escape pod situation. He worries he may spill the beans if faced with hearing either of their voices. Raven's busy at the computer system, studying up on all the psychopaths snoozing it up onboard with them. John doesn't care to know all the dirty details of the people he might have to kill, it's just easier that way. Or so he tells himself. Instead he wanders the halls, stumbling across a soccer ball in one of the abandoned rooms. Taking it back to Raven, wondering if he can convince her to play a game. Back on the Ring everybody would get together a few nights a week and play; either that, chess, or charades. They said it was for Pandora, but really it was for each of them too.

"Think fast Reyes." He tosses the two tone ball at her.

She tosses it away without a second thought. "We don't have time for this Murphy."

"Of course not." He muses. "What criminal are we studying up on today?"

"None. I was looking through the backlog of the Eligius ships. Number one was an explorative mission. Unmanned, they found an untouched hytholodium mine. Sent back a group of minors on Eligius two, but it was too dangerous. That's why they switched to prison labor for Eligius four." She taps over the keyboard.

"Well what about three?" Murphy wonders, leaning down on his elbows beside her.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out." Raven nods her head. "It has a eighty three layer encryption database."

"English." John insists. Mechanics make his head throb.

"Even I can't get in." Raven purses her lips.

"Woah, something's happening." John taps the screen infront of them. Where a second window has popped up, blocking Raven's progress. "What is that?"

"One of them is trying to get back in." She explains, working equally as hard to keep them out of the mainframe.

"I'm calling Bellamy." Murphy makes for the radio.

"No Murphy I'm almost there." Raven protests.

"Raven-"

"I said I got this." She cuts him off. Closing the invading window.

Murphy doesn't revile in the thought of his potential genocide anymore than Raven does, he just accepts it more than she does. He's killed before, on the dropship, and after that. Not because he wanted to kill, rather that he wanted to stay alive, and anyone who got in the way of that had to be eliminated. The boys who helped hang him got in the way of that, the prisoners in the cryopods could get in the way of that. Raven has never killed anyone, Murphy wasn't sure she could. Which is part of the reason he's chosen to stay behind. Because he could go the distance, he could do whatever it took to reach his goal. The end always justifies the means. By that logic he wants to pull the plug right away. That's what they agreed to, that's what they were here for.

"We don't have to tell Bellamy." The brunette reasons with him. "They're not getting in."

"What if they get in next time?" He asks. It's too big a risk; Pandora, Emori, Isla, the rest of his family from the Ring are too important to take chances with. The stakes are too high.

"They won't ok? Please." Raven pleads, she knows how much is riding on this. But she can't give up the only leverage they have this early into it. That won't help anyone.

"Fine." He agrees after some time, "but they try anything else and it's lights out."

* * *

Octavia always believed in miracles. She believed in love and fairytales and mythology. But more than anything she believed in her older siblings. To love her, to protect her at any cost. So the fact that the bunker hasn't seen the light of day in the six years since it closed told her logically that one or both of them is dead. Thus continued the downward spiral of Octavia Blake. But that doesn't matter, not to the red queen. Maybe to Octavia, but she was long gone. So when Bellamy and Isla come descending out of the sky like something from a storybook, part of her wishes they hadn't come at all. The other part went jumping into her brother's arms, and then her sister's. "I knew you'd come." Octavia whispers, feeling fragile and weak, because Octavia has not spoken in a very long time.

Neither of them seem to notice the fighting pit they're standing in, the blood soaked floor beneath them, or the people watching in awe from the chain link fences separating them. However Clarke and Diyoza do. As soon as Isla pulls away she follows their gaze, around the room, and back again.

"Where's my mom?" Clarke asks.

"I'll take her to her mother." Indra volunteers.

"Why don't you people get your things and we'll get started as soon as we're ready to upside." Diyoza tells the people staring down her. But none of them move, not until the girl, the queen, nods her head for them to do so.

"Who are you?" The dark haired girl demands. "Why are you armed?"

"Octavia, this is colonel Diyoza." Bellamy introduces them.

"You must be the sister." Charmaine nods toward her.

"Colonel?" Octavia raises her brows.

"Used to be. Love the war paint by the way." Diyoza's lips cork up at the corners.

Octavia wonders if she'd like it as much if she knew it was blood.

Of course she does.

"How many people should we be preparing for extraction?" McCreary asks, wanting to get out of this bunker before these savages get out of control.

"Twelve hundred." Bellamy replies.

"Eight hundred and fourteen." Blodreina corrects him.

The colonel nods turning away to speak into her headset. Meaning they have lost a third of the people that entered that bunker. She has a pretty good idea as to what's happened to them. "The number of people we are saving today is eight hundred and fourteen. How's it going up there Shaw?" She wants to grab the doctor and get the hell away.

"Still on lock down." The pilot tells her. Frustration on the edge of his voice as the digital bird blinks over his monitor again. "This girl thought of everything."

"All right, keep working and let me know if anything changes." The colonel replies.

"Copy that."

Diyoza doesn't want these people ever escaping this bunker. She wants to seal it up and never look back. But Isla is watching her like a hawk and she can stall no longer.

The extraction begins with Octavia, Bellamy checks her harness after McCreary. He doesn't trust him. But it's secure and they send her up, into the sunlight for the first time in over two thousand days. As she ascends the occupants of the bunker chant. "From the ashes, we will rise."

Isla can't put her finger on it, but something is very wrong here. They refer to Octavia only as Blodreina; the red queen.

"You next kid." Bellamy waves her over, securing the metal clasp to her harness.

"Bell." Isla catches his wrist as he moves to pull away.

"I'm right behind you." He whispers.

"Everything alright?" Charmaine notices their hushed exchange. She's good at reading people, she can see how wary the girls own siblings are. Even with the excitement of their reunion still lingering in the air.

"Fine," Bellamy tugs the wire between them, one last time. "Take her up."

Isla opened that bunker for her sister and left with something else entirely.

* * *

"Is Clarke your Mama?" Pandora asks, as they sit beside the dying fire. The adults a few feet away, gutting the animals they'd killed for dinner.

"Kind of." Madi shrugs. "She took me in after my family was gone. Murphy's your Dad right? He's the funny one."

"He's my Dad but I don't really think he's funny." P returns the gesture with her own shoulders. "My Mommy does though. Mama too; but only sometimes."

Emori smirks, John is funny. When he's not being an ass of course.

"Is Isla your Mommy?" Madi asks, trying to put the pieces together. She thinks of the drawings in Clarke's book, Emori and Murphy chained to the rocket. Isla standing over a metal table and Roan behind her, a thousand unspoken words in her eyes. They were all so different from what she had been waiting for all this time. They're just people.

"Mhm. She has a baby in her belly." The three year old announces. The news still too fresh in her young mind to not be exciting. "Thiiiissss big." She holds her fingers close enough to nearly touch but not quite. "I didn't grow in there, but she loved me soooo much. She gived me one million, thousand, kisses when I was growing really big and strong until I could come out and finally see her. Now I'm gonna be a big sister. It's a lot of responsibility, Bellamy told me so."

'All this child will know is love.' That's what John and Isla had promised her before Pandora was any bigger than a small fruit. Admittedly Emori doubted them. For obvious reasons but mostly for the simple fact that she couldn't imagine what that would be like. Now she can. Emori wishes futilely that they could go back home, back to the Ring. The first place that felt safe enough to call that. A place where she didn't need to wear a glove for the first time in all her life. A place where her hand was held instead of cast away. A place where they had the opportunity to raise their daughter with no knowledge of the word frikdriena. They say home is where your heart is. Only part of it is here.

* * *

Raven caves eventually, agreeing to just one game, keeping up with Murphy for the most part despite her leg. Their relationship was always...turbulent to say the least. But during their six years in space they'd become friends, kind of. Raven was friends with Emori and Isla and loved P to death; so for better or worse Murphy was family. When the docking bay doors open, threatening to rip the air from their lung both of them understand what they have to do. Pull the plug, and then die. Everyone on the ground will be safe from the Eligius people.

"How long do we have?" John demands.

"Not long, it's time to pull the plug." Raven says, slightly out of breath. "Fine I'll do it myself." She scoffs when he hesitates.

"I'm not ready to die. Are you?" John asks. He doesn't want to die without making amends.

"No." Raven breathes, but they don't have much choice.

"Open the pods." Murphy insists. "They'll have to close the doors or their people are gonna die too."

Raven nods, entering the command into the system. The men and women emerge from their slumber, thirsty for blood.

"Survival instinct sucks." She mutters under her breath.

Murphy couldn't agree more.

* * *

Isla sits down on the outskirts of the bunker. Bellamy is busy catching up, or trying to rather, with some of their people. She doesn't have the energy to try and understand what the hell happened down there after being shot down by both Miller and Indra.

"Omon gon oson." Octavia interrupts her train of thought, holding a ration between them.

Isla smiles sadly, "Thanks." She accepts the offering, it's chewy, like a jerky. It's been so long since Isla's tasted anything but algae. It's not pleasant but welcome on her empty stomach.

"Sangedakru." Octavia nods toward the markings on Isla's neck. The tattoo that unfurled around her ear to match the one on Emori's face and John's wrist onto his hand.

"I guess we all found our people." Isla says thoughtfully, realizing that they each have separate families now. A new set of priorities which no longer included one another.

"When you didn't come I assumed you were dead." Octavia hears the lack of emotion in her own words, and then tacks on, "I'm glad you're not."

"Me too." Isla says, "you've done well for yourself. Wonkru is strong, unified. I'm sure it was hard, but you're a good leader. I knew you would be."

"How." Octavia blinks slowly at her sister. Fingers toying at the hilt of the sword holstered to her hip. She doesn't know what they've done, what she's done to survive this long.

"You were always bossing me and Bell around. It was good practice, I'm sure." Isla teases with a wink.

An explosion from the east sends them sprinting in that direction. Bellamy finding them amongst the crowd. The Eligius miners standing just a few feet away. Weapons trained on them.

"What the hell are you doing?" Bellamy demands, pushing his way to the forefront. "One call from me and-"

"Make your call." The ex navy seal challenges.

Isla's heart sinks when nobody responds to Bellamy's transmission. John's up there. Is he alive? Is he dead?

"The deal is off," Diyoza confirms. "But that doesn't mean anyone has to get hurt."

Clarke comes to stand beside Bellamy and it feels so familiar and yet so different all at once. All of them united against a common enemy.

"Where's your mother?" Charmaine asks.

"She's our doctor," Octavia knows where this is headed, and she won't allow it. "You can't have her."

"We'll come with you." Abby and Kane emerge together from the alley behind them.

"I bet you will traitor." Octavia spits as they pass her.

"We?" Diyoza raises her brows.

"Both of us," Abby repeats, "those are my terms."

"I see where your daughter gets it from." Diyoza remarks. "Take them both. It's time to set a few ground rules. The valley so ours. Any attempt to get there will be met with overwhelming force. As long as you stay here, we won't have a problem. Is that a problem?"

"What about Raven and Murphy?" Bellamy asks.

The colonel studies Isla's expression. It's not the indifference displayed by her sister or the concern of the hostage taker. It's something else entirely. One of them is important to her. A friend, or a lover. Either way, a bargaining tool. "For now insurance. Let's go." She orders her men to fall back. "On me. Bunka, that's an order." She calls to the tattooed man, as he is in no hurry to take his target off the red queen.

Her order is blatantly disobeyed, as he fires at full force.


	12. Get Ready To Understand

**In** **the beginning**

Isla and John are strange. On more than one occasion Emori has witness them laugh, at one of their stupid little jokes, in the middle of making love. Isla would tear her mouth away from the suction she's creating on his cock, or John would still the movement of his hips against hers, and just laugh. Deep belly laughs, for a good ten or twenty seconds, before resuming like nothing ever happened. Emori doesn't understand it, but she has always been unspeakably fond of their strange exchanges.

Emori is tricky. Isla struggles endlessly to understand her. Isla cares for her, loves her, that part wasn't hard. But the actual understanding of Emori as a person, to feel like she truly knows her; takes the better part of two years.

Isla has never been an outsider amongst her people like John. Isla was essential personnel. Always picked first or somewhere close to it. She was beautiful, in every traditional sense of the word. John often referred to her as sex on legs, which was far too crass for Emori's taste. Or baby, which was closer, yet still not quite right. What do you call a person like her? Love. Emori decides finally, you call her love.

 **In the end**

Isla and John don't laugh anymore. They don't do much of anything any more. Once Murphy starts lashing out at her and Emori, the air between them shifts. Things are different, hanging on to something that used to be. Afraid to let it go.

Emori is angry. She never lets him see her cry. Never lets anyone. But somehow Isla does see her. It was an accident really, a change in work schedules. A break down, a moment of weakness. Isla doesn't ask questions. Doesn't judge. Love is patient, love is kind. She crawls into bed and holds Emori. Emori had almost forgot how much she missed being held.

John wants to apologize, has every intention of doing so. Until he gets to the door of their bedroom and he hears them. Filling the air with deep belly laughs. They don't need him. Nobody does.

* * *

 **Now (Polis Ruins)**

"She thinks this is our fault." Bellamy tells Isla, leaning in close. So their conversation isn't public to the people of Wonkru, that flourish about them.

"Well," Isla smirks begrudgingly, "Octavia has a tendency to bite the hand that feeds her. Guess we taught her that; no matter what you do to someone, if they love you, they'll just keep coming back for more. That is our fault." The blonde sighs, wringing her hands infront of her. Twisting the cool chunk of metal on her left ring finger until it chafes the skin underneath. "Opening Pandora's box, also our fault. But not Diyoza turning on us. We made the only choice we could. They would have rotted in that bunker. Maybe they should have."

"Hey," Bellamy shakes his head at her. "You don't mean that."

"Maybe not," Isla takes a steadying breath. She doesn't actually wish Octavia dead, the red queen was another story.

"Murphy and Raven are gonna be ok." He assures her. Not because he believes it but because he wants to.

"I hope so." She sighs.

"They're hard to kill, plenty of people have tried." Everybody knows that.

"Alive and ok are two different things." Isla reminds him. Murphy hasn't been anything close to 'ok' in many months.

"I know." Bellamy understands what she means.

"Miller." Clarke's voice calls their attention.

"What now?" Isla has been in the presence of Wonkru for a little less than a day and she already feels her life force dwindling.

"Miller!" Clarke says a second time.

"Hey woah," Bellamy stalks over with Isla in toe, "what's going on?" He asks Miller. Miller was one of the hundred, that had to mean something.

"Wish I could tell you Bellamy." Clearly not.

"Octavia told you not to?" The realization slaps him in the face.

"I'll go talk to her." Isla turns on her heels without a second thought.

"Hey Isla," Miller lunges for her, grabbing her upper arm and turning her back to him. "You guys can't just do whatever the hell you want here." These idiots are gonna themselves thrown in the pits.

Isla arches a brow, looking him up and down before yanking her arm away.

"Let me guess," Clarke cuts in, "you're moving ahead of the army to scout terrain. Which route are you taking?" She cocks her head to the side. "The wind moves in a predictable path across the dry sea bed. I've made the trip dozens of times. Like it or not you need my help."

Miller nods against his better judgement. Leading the three into Octavia's meeting.

"Miller your orders were-"

"I know my orders," Nate cuts Cooper off. "But I think we should listen to what Clarke has to say."

Octavia's brows lurch upward.

"Please O." Bellamy blocks the tent exit and the other occupants of the room aim their guns at his head. "Just listen."

"We're all on the same side." Clarke begins, swearing she sees a hint of a smile on Octavia's lips. "No one wants to get to that valley more than me; it's my home. But this way is too risky."

"Risky how?" Indra wonders.

"You chose the shortest route; which makes since, but this part of the wasteland is hit by constant sand storms."

"We have the tents from the second dawn. Sand won't be a problem." The wind doesn't move Wonkru.

"It's not just sand," Clarke goes on. "Some of it crystallized in praimfiya. I'm talking shards of glass that cut like razor blades. The tents will be torn to shreds and so will you."

Bellamy crosses both arms over his chest.

"How do we know there won't be sand storms on the longer routes?" Indra is obviously Octavia's only advisor with her best interest at heart.

"Enough," Blodreina narrows her eyes, her mind already made up on the matter. "We're doing this. If this is the last survivable land on earth then it should be ours."

"Diyoza thinks the same thing." Bellamy reminds her, raking a hand through his hair.

"And so we fight." Octavia takes her leave, the other members of Wonkru following immediately after her, all except for Indra.

"Your sister needs you," her eyes flicker between Isla and Bellamy, "I'm glad you're here for her."

"Too bad she doesn't see it that way." Isla mutters under her breath.

"There are packs with rations here by the door." Is the only response Indra supplies before going to take her place at the head of the first battalion.

"Am I crazy, or were they going to kill me for getting in her way?"

Clarke shakes her head with a shrug. "What do we do?"

"Pick a pack any pack." Isla steps up first.

"A six day hike through sand storm country with a gladiator cult. What could go wrong?" Bellamy quips.

"After you." Clarke says tiredly.

She and Bellamy fall into place beside each other. Isla a few paces ahead. Clarke isn't sure if they should talk or just make the trip in silence. Talk; she decides after a while, "so," she begins lamely, "how've you been?"

A chuckle rumbles out from deep in his chest, "can't complain."

* * *

 **Woods Outside The Valley**

"Can I help mama?" Pandora skips over to the log Emori is sitting on; gutting fish.

"Let me guide your hand this time," Emori agrees, making room for the little girl in her lap, "and then you guide my hand."

"Ok." Pandora slaps her palms together. "Show me!"

"Press the blade in deep near the mouth," Emori demonstrates with the tip of her blade. "Then drag it down to the tail. The scales are tough so you have to press hard, but watch your fingers P." She finishes the cut. Setting the fish aside and grabbing a fresh one.

"The knifoo." Pandora waves it giddily with her left hand as soon as Emori releases it. She is definitely their kid.

"Knife," Emori corrects her gently, "it's not a toy, we do not play with it."

"Sorry Mama." The three year old huffs.

It's a little awkward because Emori is right handed and Pandora is not, but they manage a slightly crooked line down the center of the fish. "Good job P." Her mother kisses the back of her head.

"Now the guts." The little girl says with a renewed sense of excitement.

"Pandora don't-" Emori ends her warning abruptly as the fish blood and organs splash up into her cheek, "yank it." She finishes with a sigh, swiping her face with the back of her hand.

"Sorry Mama." Pandora says a second time.

"That's enough for one day hmm?" Emori hums patiently. "Why don't you go ask Madi for a story?"

She loves to tell them.

"Ok, love you." Pandora sings, bouncing off her mother's lap. "Madi! Story time please!"

"Another one?" Madi replies in disbelief.

"Pllllleeeaaaasssseeee," P begs, lacing her fingers together.

"Ok, come sit." She pats the space beside her. "What story do you want to hear?"

"The hundred!" The tiny Murphy insists.

"I've told that one five times." Madi reminds her with a smile.

"But it's my favorite."

"Fine." Madi agrees, she likes that one too. "Once upon a time there was a ship far far away called the arc."

* * *

 **Inside Eligius IV**

Torture. Only seven letters; but endless possibilities. When Murphy was tortured by the grounders they took his finger nails, bits and pieces of his skin, stabbed, scratched, ripped, burned, you name it. When Ontari tortured him it was more mental, not all of it was bad. So there were times when he could have been fooled into thinking it wasn't torture. But it was; because he didn't have a choice, chained up without chance of release. Tortured. The Eligius people are a lot like the grounders, except most of the pain is inflicted through the shock collar around John's neck; great.

McCreary left a while ago, now the two remaining miners take turns punching and kicking at him whenever they get tired of sitting around waiting for Raven to cave and unlock the missile system.

Raven.

Murphy tries not to think about what's happening to her. The mechanic who he's robbed of the ability to walk properly, the woman who forgave him and eventually became his friend.

When McCreary returns for him, leading him down the hall toward another room he sees Raven. Shirt wet and hair dripping with sweat, a matching collar around her neck. And he has to think about it then; what's happened to her. He tries uselessly to free himself from the assholes restaining his arms, but all that earns him is a punch to the gut.

"Stop!" Raven screams in protest. "He didn't do anything!" Neither did she.

Even as McCreary demands that she unlock the mistle system with his knife pressing into John's throat there's still nothing she can do.

Shaw watches, he can't come clean. He can't fire the mistles into those people. But he can't let these people die for something he did. He does the only thing he can do, points a gun at McCreary's head until he backs off.

"I might not be able to kill you." Paxton takes a step toward the pilot, contempt in his eyes, "but you don't need your legs to fly."

Once the criminals are out of the room, the pilot, Shaw; confesses to them. And between the three of them, they come up with a plan.

Raven stays, because she can't run fast enough. Murphy goes, because he can. But they both stay collared.

Seems pretty cut and dry. Except to Emori; who despite him just being tortured, scolds him for leaving Raven.

"Why am I not surprised?" Murphy's estranged wife shakes her head at him.

John tries not to take it personally. "Look we don't have time for this. Raven said we need to get into radio range and warn the others about the mistles."

"Mistles?"

"Yeah, as in fiery death from above." John elaborates. "We have a friend inside, so the eye in the sky won't be watching but they need to move now."

"Daddy, up?" Pandora blinks in his direction, stretching her little arms toward him.

"I can't right now babygirl." And that breaks his heart.

"Is that a shock collar?" Monty asks, tentatively reaching toward the metal ring.

"Wouldn't do that if I were you." Murphy skirts away from him.

"Well take the rover," Madi offers. "It's in the bear cave. Don't worry the bears are gone."

"Who's the hobbit?" Murphy cocks his head to the side.

"Come on." Echo rolls her eyes.

Pandora is thoroughly upset by the time they get inside the rover. Beyond confused as to why Murphy won't hold her.

"It's not your fault P." John wants to just say; screw it, and let her sit in his lap. Because what are the chances that this thing is gonna go off. But knowing his luck it will and he'd never forgive himself. "Nothing that you did. I love you so much. Nobody can touch Daddy right now because I could hurt them and I never want to hurt you."

The little girl sniffs, leaning into Emori, "ok Daddy."

"Bellamy, Isla, come in." Murphy says into the radio. "What?" He wonders, the kid aside of him is staring.

"Pandora was right," the hobbit shrugs, "you're not funny."

"Clarke told her stories." Harper explains.

"Ahhh." John muses. "Was I The dashing hero who got the girl?"

"Or the selfish fool who lost her?" Emori mutters under her breath.

Murphy purses his lips at this.

"Octavia is my favorite." Madi tells them. "No offense. Clarke says she wouldn't have made it without each one of you."

"We wouldn't have made it without her." Echo says.

"Not even close." Harper agrees.

The collar around Murphy's neck hums to life, sending electrical jolts that seize his body.

"John!" Without thinking Emori reaches for him, the current sends her backwards, clutching her hand.

"Is Daddy ok?" Pandora all but screams.

"The shock collar must have a tether, Madi back up the rover." Monty says, shining the flashlight at Murphy's neck, waiting until the sparks inside die off to tell Madi, "stop, that's far enough."

Murphy slumps in his seat, relief washing over him.

"Monty can you get it off?" Harper asks.

"There's no time." Echo reminds them. "We have to warn them before those mistles fire."

"Echo's right," Murphy sighs.

"If it has a tether, it'll have a tracker too." Monty argues.

"Which is why you've gotta go." John understands, but if Isla and the rest of them get the message in time, then it doesn't matter what happens to him. "Go get our friends before they explode." He hops down out of the passenger seat.

Emori is out the back door before the rover pulls away. Part of her still not believing that she's standing here with John despite everything. The other half of her wondering why he looks surprised, because of course she's standing here despite everything, they're family. A dysfunctional one, but a family none the less. "Come on." She rolls her eyes in exasperation.

He nods, feeling a renewed sense of hope. Yeah things were shitty and his collar could go off at any moment but Emori is here. She's still here. He is still worth staying behind for, he is still worth saving. And that makes all the difference.

"If you have something to say," she knows him well enough to tell when he's biting his tongue, "just spit it out John."

"I was just gonna say, thanks. For sticking around, you don't have to be here but you are. So thank you." Murphy tells her as they trek through the forest, leaves and twigs snapping beneath their shoes.

"I'm guessing you have a plan." She arches a brow at him.

"The plan is to get the rover into radio range before our wife explodes. Outside of that I've got nothing." Admittedly not the most well thought out decision he's ever made, but somehow when it involves her the decisions never are well thought out.

"My wife." Emori reminds him, a joking tone to her voice that he hasn't heard in a while.

"Technicalities." He brushes it off.

"Does it hurt?" She wonders. "Your neck?"

"No." Yes.

"Liar." Emori smirks knowingly, "let's find a place to hold up for a while, I'll see what I can do."

"Yep." He pops the p.

He's still cute for a thief.

* * *

 **The Wasteland**

"Bellamy come in." It's Monty's voice over the radio. "Isla can you hear me?"

Isla yanks the radio from where it's clipped around Bellamy's belt loop. "Hey Monty. If you're calling to warn us about the burrowing parasitic bugs, you're a little late. Clarke's cutting one out of Octavia as we speak."

"Not quite," Monty takes a deep breath, "there's an eye in the sky on the mother ship and mistles ready to launch. Raven says we have a friend inside so they won't see you but you've got to move now."

"Ok, be safe. We're on it." Isla says, watching as the worm is freed from Octavia's arm and then sealed inside Cooper's tin can.

"Where do we find cover in the middle of a wasteland?" Indra asks, eyes darting about the group of them inside the tent.

"If we retreat, they'll stand down." Clarke offers, holding pressure on Octavia's wound as she wraps a dressing around it.

"The wind doesn't move Wonkru." The red queen reminds them, making to leave the tent the second she can.

"Octavia!" Bellamy shouts after her.

"You don't understand us, because you're not us." She says lowly, while the other members of Wonkru exit. "Get ready to understand."

"Isla's pregnant." Bellamy grabs Octavia's uninjured arm. "She shouldn't be out here but she is. She's not going to say anything, because no; she doesn't think she's too good to stand out in the middle of a sandstorm to protect you. Even after you got her stuck between that and parasitic worms."

"Wonkru will cover her." Octavia's eyes move to her sister.

Bellamy swallows.

"No." Isla shakes her head. "I'll stand with you."

"Good." Octavia replies, as she leaves on shaky limbs.

"I'll go keep an eye on her." Clarke tells them, the effects of the worm venom evident in Octavia's slightly slurred words and uncoordinated motions.

"What the hell are you trying to prove?" Bellamy demands, when Clarke is out of earshot.

"I know you're trying to protect me Bellamy," Isla sighs, because he always is. "But I made my choice when I decided to open that bunker. I chose to follow Octavia into the wasteland."

"So this is your idea of atonement?" He wonders.

"This is my idea of trying to understand what the hell happened to our sister and I need her to trust me in order to do that."

"That is not the priority right now." Bellamy reminds her as if she's forgotten.

"Wonkru has armor." Isla reasons, trying to put his mind at ease. "I need to do this, I need you to let me."

"The baby-"

"Will be fine." She cuts him off.

"Your Murphy is showing." Bellamy says disapprovingly, yet his tone holds a certain fondness to it.

"I'm gonna take that as a compliment." Isla smirks, dawning a red leather chest plate.

It's hardly a surprise the next morning when Clarke decides that Indra has glass in her lungs. The first battalion leader spent the better part of the night ordering them to, "hold!"

Eleven members of Wonkru have died, twelve including Obeka. The original carrier of the worms. Octavia is definitely feeling the effects of the venom less than she was and her arm should heal with little muscle damage.

"I'm glad you're alive big brother." Octavia tells Bellamy, leaning forward to kiss his cheek, then pulling back with his face trapped firmly between her hands. "But if you ever speak out against Wonkru again, you are an enemy of Wonkru. And you are my enemy."

The sound of the rovers engine breaks up the exchange. Leaving Bellamy, Isla, and Clarke reeling in the harshness of Octavia's words.

But that's the last thing on their minds once the rover comes to a halt a feet yards away. Madi charges out first, finding Clarke.

Monty and Harper follow, hanging back near the machine. Monty warily raises one hand to Octavia in greeting; which she returns.

"Mommy!" Pandora pushes harshly against Harper's chest. Demanding to be set on her own two feet; and making a beeline for Isla the second she hits the ground. Isla meets her three quarters of the way, sweeping the little girl up into her arms.

"Hi sweet girl." Isla kisses her dark hair, Pandora's hands fisted in the material of her shirt.

"No more leaving. I miss you."

"I missed you too baby, so much." She breathes her daughter in deeply. "Where's your Mama?" Isla scans the area around the rover, realizing that Emori still hasn't come out.

"Gone." Pandora pulls back to look at her. "Daddy has a special necklace that makes him dance when he gets too far away. We had to keep going because the radio didn't work and we couldn't talk to you. Mama had to go with Daddy so he wouldn't be alone. I was really brave just like she said."

"You're are brave P." Isla blinks back the tears burning behind her eyes. "I'm so proud of you."

Octavia squints into the sun, the little girl called her Mommy. Clearly she not biologically. Her hair is too dark and something is wrong with one of her hands. However the kid's nose and eyes have Murphy written all over them. Deductive reasoning tells her that Murphy was the father of Isla's baby too. It wasn't Monty or Bellamy and only eight of them were on the Ring. Before she can spend anymore time trying to figure it out she sees Echo. The traitor who stabbed her. Azgeda spy who killed Gina, and Illian and all those people inside mount weather. The bitch who's kissing her brother.


	13. Here Goes Nothing

**Then (The Ring)**

"Emori?" Isla says rubbing sleep from her eyes.

The brunette woman aside of her tosses violently in the bed a third time.

"Em, hey baby." Isla grips her shoulders, giving a shake, "time to wake up."

Emori springs up in the bed. John oblivious to it all, snoring away beside her. Pregnant belly heaving with her breath as her dark eyes dart about the room in terror. Her entire body wracked with tremors.

"It's ok." Isla catches her face between her hands. "It's just us. Only a nightmare."

"I-" Emori's hand darts up to the scar on her cheek. "Baylis...it was like...he was right here."

"No one can hurt you anymore. No one will hurt you ever again." Isla strokes her cheeks in soothing repetitive motions.

"We can't...the baby isn't safe, it will never be safe." Emori shakes her head.

"The baby is safe, you are safe. I promise, you're safe." Isla assures her.

Emori sobs, curling in on herself. "You don't understand."

"You're right, I don't understand." Because Isla was loved, by her parents, always. "Maybe I never will and I'm sorry. All I can do is love you and promise that you're not alone."

"I don't want to sleep." Emori murmurs, resting her head on Isla' s chest. She's familiar and soft and warm and safe, so safe. Holding her in the cage of her arms. Stroking her dark hair, kissing her forehead, resting a hand over Emori's womb.

"Then don't, just stay right here with me."

* * *

 **Now (Bunker Mess Hall)**

"Hello there little one." The large man standing in front of Pandora and Harper smiles slyly.

Harper tenses, Isla had left the table to get their rations and whoever this person was waited until she was out of earshot before approaching.

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." Pandora blinks up at him.

"My name is Baylis. I was a friend of your mother's. You look just like her, right down to the stain." He eyes her hand with something that is meant to mirror fondness.

"You need to leave." Harper says immediately.

"I'm just trying to help, frikdreina don't last long on their own." Baylis tells her.

"Who's this?" Isla asks, placing the trays of food in front of Pandora and Harper.

"I could ask the same." The grounder man retorts.

"I'm her mother. So I'll ask you again who the hell are you, and what business do you have talking to my kid?" The blonde crosses both arms over her chest.

"This is no child of yours, you have no more claim over her than I do." Baylis smirks at the twitch of Isla upper lip.

"I am her mother, and you are not welcome anywhere near her. If you so much as breathe in her direction, Octavia's fighting pit is child's play compared to what I'll do." Isla snarls.

"Where is Emori?" He purs the name in a way that feels unclean.

"Who wants to know?" Isla takes another step towards him.

"Baylis." He repeats.

Isla swings, her fist connecting with this face.

"Isla!" Harper yells in warning, but the other woman doesn't listen. She can't.

Standing in front of her is the man responsible for Emori's torture. Finding the nerve to approach Pandora, attempting to make history repeat itself.

"So you've heard of me." The man grins like he's won a metal.

"How'd you lie your way down here? Surely no clan would waste a space on a worthless bottom feeder like you."

Harper can feel in her gut that she needs to get Pandora as far away as she can and send Monty, Bellamy, or Echo back for Isla before the situation escalates.

"What does that mean Harper? Those words?" The little girl asks as she lets Harper guide her out of the mess hall and down the hallway.

"Nothing to worry about now baby girl. We're going to finish our dinner in the monitor room. When Mommy is done talking she can explain everything." Harper says softly.

"I don't think he's really Mama's friend." Pandora tells the older woman.

"Me either P."

* * *

"You accuse me of being an imposter? I'm not the one paradng around with a child who's not my blood, wearing sangedakru markings while wreaking of the sky."

"My integrity isn't in question. Only yours." Isla cocks her head to the side. She wants blood. It sings angry inside her ears, kill him. He deserves it. Just do it Isla, do it for Emori.

"Emori didn't understand that the world didn't want her. She would use her looks to swindle. If anyone found out what she was hiding underneath that glove, they would have killed her. I had to make sure she wouldn't do it again. You should thank me for carving up her face, she wouldn't have lived long enough to know you otherwise." He pauses raking his eyes up and down the length of her. "You have no idea do you? What it feels like to be rejected, cast away? No not you skai girl, you are longed for by every woman and man. Even kings fall to their knees at your feet. She doesn't belong to you, she belongs to me."

"Emori is a person, she belongs to herself. She isn't an object for you or anyone else to use!"

Baylis pauses, drinking in the breif flash of pain that cuts through her indifference. "Tell me, does she still dream about that night? How she begged, how she screamed?"

Isla lunges for him hot, angry tears rolling down her cheeks.

He doesn't move, he doesn't need to.

Bellamy is behind her in an instant. Arms wrapped tightly around her core dragging her backwards as wonkru guards come to collect Baylis.

"Even if you kill me. You can't erase what I did." The man hollars, his cries verging on insanity.

"Shut up!" Isla howls, struggling in Bellamy's hold as he moves them toward the door.

"It's me." Bellamy tells her, "it's ok kid."

But it's not ok, "he-"

"I know." Bellamy sighs, resting his cheek atop the crown of her blonde head. "I know and I'm sorry; but this is not how we handle this."

"He was proud of it." Isla relaxes enough that he lets her go in the vacant hallway. "And he wanted to do it again...with my baby." Those three words break her more than she knew anything could.

"I can't imagine what you're going through right now." Bellamy tells her truthfully. Because Echo is here and safe. "I know you're worried about Murphy and Emori. You're pregnant and taking care of a three year old alone and that's not what was supposed to happen, but that's what is happening. I wish, more than anything, that I could take that pain from you; but I can't. But please don't forget that you still have us. Echo, Monty, Harper and I are all here. And we would never let anything happen to P."

She nods, with a sigh. "What am I supposed to say? He called her..."

"I know." Bellamy swallows sadly. "Maybe you just tell her the truth."

"Emori would know what to say. Fuck she lived this." Isla runs both hands over her face. "This is exactly what she didn't want to happen, and we promised her, me and Johnny, that it never would."

"That worked on the Ring kid. Emori had no one to explain anything, no one to tell her that yes; she's different, but different doesn't have to mean bad. That's what she didn't want to happen. I know it's hard for you to accept; but Baylis was right about that. You can not undo what's been done to Emori. Pandora can't unhear those things he said; but you can still help her to appropriately understand and cycle through whatever she must be feeling right now. No matter what anyone says, Pandora is your daughter, you are her mom. I promise, you are the only person she wants to see right now."

* * *

 **(Becca' s Capsule)**

"Stop moving John." Emori scolds, and not for the first time.

"Remember when you were in labor with P?" Murphy says after a long moment, a far off look in his eyes. "I was a wreck and you were trying to evacuate a human from inside you. But Isla, she was so calm, it was annoying because how could she possibly be calm at a time like that. Then after; when she was holding Pandora in her arms and she started crying, I realized that she was scared the whole time.

She pretended that she wasn't so that she could be steady. Because we needed her to be steady. I wish I could do that. Be exactly what you need me to be, always. Even when things sucked, you didn't miss a beat you just kept on pushing through. Anything that happen you took it all in stride. Because you're strong. You're steady. I'm not steady, hell I've seen hydrazine more stable. All I know how to do is survive. I don't know how to just live, I can handle the storm, but the rainbow that comes after? Nah. I don't have a damn idea what to do with that." That's part of it, part of what's broken inside him. Of course there's more, but these things take time.

"I didn't fall in love with you under the impression that you were steady. I knew that you weren't and I loved you anyway." The words are real, and raw, and something inside of her aches at the vocalization.

"Why?" He asks, because he could never wrap his brain around the fact that anything about him was remarkable.

"Because John, you're worth more than you know. You accepted me, you never once treated me different. I felt like I had a home with you.

When we talked about Isla; and the possibility of us being together, I knew what she meant to you. I knew that you had feelings for her, some good, others bad but there was so much... history that it would have been so easy to feel jealous. But I never did, not one time did I look at her or look at you with anything but happiness.

And everyday I was amazed that you would share something so precious with me. That you would share her with me, because you didn't have to. Pandora changed our lives and everything just felt so right after that, that was the best time. Finally feeling like I belonged, like I had a place. I didn't know I needed that. But I did; and you punished me for it." She spits the words at him because they still sting, the way she waited for John to be proud of her, and how it never came.

"Because you didn't need me anymore! You were always off with Raven, doing your own thing."

"So what?" She pauses tossing down her tool in exchange for another. "You were jealous?"

"I didn't want everyone to know how wonderful you are. Because if they did...why the hell would you want me? How the hell was I going to measure up to Raven? Or anybody else, when I'm just me. Just Murphy." Just somebody would never be good enough, smart enough, or strong enough to ever deserve to so much as breathe in her direction.

"You don't have to be needed to be wanted. You don't have to be needed to be loved. And you've never been just Murphy to me."

* * *

 **(Camp Outside Bunker)**

"Hi P." Isla says ducking into their tent.

The little girl is curled in on herself atop a sleeping bag, Harper rubbing soothing patterns onto her back.

"Hi." Pandora's tiny voice replies after a moment.

"Thank you for sitting with her Harper." Isla leans down resting a hand on the other woman's shoulder.

"Anything you need." Harper covers the hand with her own, giving it a squeeze. "I'll see you tomorrow P."

"Good night." The three year old mutters back, not her usual chipper self.

"Can we talk?" Isla asks, sliding under the blankets and drawing the little girl into her arms.

"I'm tired."

Isla chuckles, because that excuse has John written all over it. "I'm not a perfect Mommy, I wish I was. Truth is; there's no such thing as a perfect Mommy. So I can't promise that I'll never make mistakes. But I can promise to always be the best Mommy I can.

I'm sorry for what you seen and heard today. I want you to know that it was wrong, not to talk to you about these things. I want you to know that this is a safe place, just you and me. Whatever questions you have are ok. I will answer them as best I can. If you're angry, at me, or that man, or the whole world that's ok too. I don't like to talk about this stuff, because it makes me sad."

The little girl in Isla's arms rolls to face her. Moving higher on the pillow to be at eye level, their noses nearly touching. "Some of it scares me, because I might say the wrong thing. Or I might not have an answer for why somethings are the way they are, because I don't control them. But I think even if we're both mad, or sad, or afraid; if we talk about this stuff together...maybe it doesn't have to be so scary." The blonde begins softly.

"Because we love each other. And together we can do anything." Pandora says, her blue eyes wide and searching for reassurance.

"Exactly." The chemist nods.

"What's a frikdreina?" Pandora wonders, left hand toying with her mother's fingers

"Ok," Isla exhales deeply. Here goes nothing. "When people are born that look different than everyone else. So you and Mama."

"Are we the only ones?" Pandora wonders.

"You're the only ones left as far as I know. But there were more. Remember Otan, mama's brother from our stories?"

The three year old hums with a nod.

"He was different too." Isla tells her.

"What about a stain?"

"So your special hand and Mama's hand, those are stains. I don't like to use that word because a stain could also mean something that is dirty and unclean. Different people have different stains, a stain could be on their face or feet or hands. Any part of you that is different."

"Where do they come from?" Pandora asks, now curious.

"When Madi told you the story about the bombs, before we were born, that left what's called radiation. Some people were effected by the radiation. So Mama's Mama didn't have a special hand, she was like me and Daddy. But something inside of her was still changed by the radiation from all those years ago." Isla doesn't know all the particulars but she understands that much.

"So only Mama's belly can grow special hand babies?"

"Right. She could have another special hand baby or she could have a baby with a hand like Daddy. Genetics are complicated." A basic punant square would hardly do the trick.

"Will you love the new baby more than me? Because they'll be just like you?" Pandora mumbles under her breath.

"You are just like me." Isla leans forward, pressing her lips to her daughter's forehead. "In every way that counts."

"I know Echo is leaving tonight; Bellamy said so. Mama and Daddy left, boom left...are you leaving too Mommy?"

"No baby," Isla shakes her head. "I'm staying right here with you."

* * *

 **(Becca' s Capsule)**

"Then why'd you leave me?" John fidgets absent mindedly.

"Because you broke my heart." Emori swallows.

John remembers every word, every apology, every pointless fight because Emori was hurting him, intentionally or not, and he wanted to hurt her back. Just enough to get it out of his self loathing system. "I could feel you slipping through my fingers. I didn't want to let you go."

"You are worth staying for John. I wanted to show you. But it was like you didn't want to see...Got it." Emori sighs as the collar comes away from his neck.

"How much hydrazine do you think is left in this thing anyway?"

"Not much, why?"

"Why don't we make a little present for our friends out there?"

"Hmm," Emori arches a dark brow.

"What could go wrong?" John shrugs.

"I can think of a few things. But it's the best idea we've got so, here goes nothing right?"

Murphy smirks at her choice of words, because they're Isla's. And as much as he misses her John is glad that Emori is the one there with him. After all, high stake hisys are kind of their thing.

"Here goes nothing." He agrees.

And that nothing goes very well actually. Mccreary and his men following their trap straight into a hydrazine explosion.

They watch for a moment, breathing a collective sigh of relief.

After taking McCreary hostage, securing him to the corner of the cave. Only then John leans into Emori, because his desire for her is never quieted or quilled. His love for her pounds in his ears, behind his eyes, escaping through his lips pressed to her skin. And even once they settle there his hunger only grows, propelling him forward. I love you. I love you. I love you.

And though he sits, a giant red flag, a shooting star burning up before her eyes; Emori is as powerless as she's ever been. Because he's John. Her first love, father of her children. The first person to except and love her exactly as she was. They move too fast, farther than they should, his hands roaming her bare flesh and then he's inside her.

Because it's John and Emori; I love you. I love you. I love you. Emori loves him so thoroughly that Murphy could cry, he doesnt deserve it. But he wants it, needs it so badly that he doesn't care. Not about their hostage chained in the corner or how badly his heart aches for Pandora and Isla, only being with her. Making her toes curl beneath them and her jaw slack, cumming so fucking hard he has no choice but to follow. She doesn't untwine them for sometime, just locks her arms around his neck, Johns own hands soldered to her waist. "This doesn't mean we're back together." Emori whispers after a long moment.

He grins at this, huffing a laugh. Murphy doesn't care about titles, not really. Only one thing he really wanted. "Please stay."

Emori freezes before nuzzling farther into the junction of his shoulder. So many times she had waited, hoped, and mourned the absence of those words. Words that never came. Maybe, just maybe this was different. Maybe he was changing. "I'm here."


	14. Off Kilter

(The Ring: Two months post Praimfaya)

"Emori?" Isla says, interrupting the comfortable silence.

"Hmm?" The brunette hums, completely blissed out in her postcoital state. Her boneless body resting heavily against her new found love. Knowing that Isla would never complain about being crushed under her weight; content to lie with their legs still entwined for as long as Emori will allow.

"When I helped make the binding serum for the nightblood...I didn't know they were gonna try to test it on you. I didn't- I never would've-"

"Of course not." Emori pulls back slightly, to look at her. Stroking sweat damp hair from her face. She smiles softly. "You're good Isla. I know that, I've always known that."

"I'm sorry I didn't do more." Isla's brown eyes are wide, and so very sad.

Emori shakes her head, "it wouldn't have mattered. The only thing that would have done is got you locked up too."

"I could have volunteered. I would for you now. I would do anything for you. Please know that." A tear slipping from her eye

"I do." Emori brushes her knuckles over Isla's cheek. "And I would do anything for you."

"I think about it all the time." The blonde admits.

"Don't." The other girl insists. "I forgive you."

"You almost died." Isla reminds her.

"I forgive you." Emori repeats. "There's no crime in this world I won't forgive you for. I love you."

Isla thumbs circles onto the skin of Emori's lower back where her hands rest. "I don't deserve that."

"You do."

Isla shakes her head, tearing her gaze away.

Emori sighs, "accept it." She insists, quickly moving her fingers to tickle Isla. She can't feel her as well through the callused fingers of her left hand, but it covers more ground. Turning the beautiful woman beneath her to a giggling fool.

"Emori," she chokes out a protest in her fit of laughter.

"Accept it." Emori tries a second time.

"Stop!" Isla writhes under her.

"Do you accept?" The brunette challenges.

"No!"

"Accept my love." Emori says through her own laughter.

"Enough." Isla all but howls.

"You have to say yes." Emori won't stop until she does.

"Yes." Isla says finally, relaxing as the tickling comes to a stop. Tears of laughter rolling down her cheeks.

"That wasn't so hard now was it?" Emori grins triumphantly.

"You guys are into some really weird foreplay." John remarks upon entering the room. "Heard you guys all the way from the mess hall."

"Care to join the party John?" Emori winks at him.

"Yep," he smiles, kicking off his shoes and pants, shirt and briefs not far behind. "If I ever say no to that just put me out of my misery."

* * *

(The Bunker : Present Day)

"I'm sorry about Baylis, what he said to you and your daughter. That's not what wonkru is, we're warriors, we stand together. Not divided." Octavia tells her sister. She fells bad about it. Truly she does, but she needs Isla to trust her. So she'll go talk Bellamy into fighting Indra and Gaia in the pits. Because he won't listen to her; not anymore.

"I'm not wonkru." Isla replies flippantly. The last person she wants to see right now is her sister.

"You could be, Pandora could be." Octavia wants them to be a team again. Together on the front lines. That's what's right, what she wants.

"Why would I stand with someone who's willing to put their own brother in a fighting pit with the woman who trained her and treated her as her own daughter? Not to mention use Madi in a power play and release worms into a valley full of people I love?" Isla seethes.

"You understand it, you don't want to, but you do. Sometimes you have to go too far to save your people. You act like you're better, but you're not. Are you? Miller told me about the man you irradiated in Becca's lab. How the woman you claim to love was next and you were ok with it then." Octavia is used to people thinking she's a monster.

"I was never ok with it. I was doing that for you and Bellamy. For my family." The older woman explains.

"Wonkru is my family. But Bellamy is my blood, just like you. So I want you to help me save him. He says he won't fight now, but I know he would if you asked him too."

"So you want me to get Bellamy to kill Indra and Gaia?" Isla sucks her teeth. "Not gonna happen."

"He's our brother." How could she not want to help him?

"And I love him, but I know him. He won't kill for you, not now." Isla understands that, respects it even.

"But he would for Echo, the Azgeda spy who killed Gina, Illian, and damn near me." The red queen spits in disbelief.

"She's different now, you'd know that if you gave her a chance." Echo was family now.

"People can't change." Not even after the pit.

"You did." Isla says, with no intent to spare Octavia's feelings.

"That's easy for you to say, you got everything Isla. You got the life on the arc, you got your best friend, you got to escape back to the ring and have a family while the rest of us were stuck down here. Because you always get everything. Your life could have been mine, and maybe Lincoln would be here now, our daughter would be here. Not Murphy, a worthless traitor, who crippled Raven and tried to keep you locked in the bunker while the rest of us burned in Praimfaya."

Murphy was different when they were growing up. He'd been the only person outside of her family that Octavia was allowed to see, until the night of the dance. She used to look forward to him visiting. On the ground he was a completely different person. And because Octavia doesn't believe that people can change, she decided that being on the ground just made it clear who he always was. A pathetic, selfish, traitor, who deserved every ounce of pain he endured.

"I'm sure that you're angry, and I know you had to do things here that you regret. And you don't know how to move on from that, but I can help you. You're not hiding under the floor anymore. But when you were, I would have given anything for you to be free. For my sister to come to school with me, to go places with me. I put my ass on the line for you to go to that dance because I loved you. I lost my mother, my father, my freedom, my future. All of that was gone in the blink of an eye. But I would do it again for you, my sister. Who I loved, who I still love-"

"Loved me enough to let Bellamy poison me." The words sear their way out of Octavia's mouth.

"When you woke up we'd all be in the valley, but you wouldn't listen. Love isn't always easy, sometimes it's tough."

"I could throw you in the pit, for knowing what he was going to do. It's treason." It's an empty threat, Isla is all she has.

"Then do it." The blonde calls her bluff. "Otherwise you can get the hell out of my tent."

"Why won't you help him?!" Octavia tries one last time.

"Why won't you?"

* * *

(The Cave)

"Hey John, catch." Emori says from near the cave entrance. Waving the radio at him before tossing it his way.

Murphy has to abandon the sketchbook in his lap to grab it. "Fixed it already?" He turns over the receiver in his hands a few times.

"Yeah, whatcha got?" Emori nods toward the book, plopping down beside him.

"Clarke must've left it." John clears his throat, feeling like he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar. On the left side is a drawing of him and Emori chained to the rocket. On the right is Isla, Roan's hands resting on her shoulders. Her eyes screaming across the paper and coal.

Emori traces the features of the blonde's face softly. She knew Isla was never thrilled by the idea of testing nightblood on anyone, but to not see her for all this time and then to her see like this-

"After we get Raven back...we'll see her soon, Pandora too." John reasons against the tugging in his own heart.

"I can handle missing her, the not knowing if she's ok...is worse." Emori decides, her fingers itching for Clarke's sketch.

"Bellamy will take care of her."

"Yeah," she takes the bound pages from him. Snapping it shut and setting it aside. "Remember be strong, focused, unrelenting. Don't let them get into your head. I got this."

He nods. Collecting his thoughts before pressing down the button. "This is John Murphy attempting to contact Colonel Diyoza."

They wait for a few seconds with no response.

"Maybe you need to rewire." Murphy shrugs, handing it back to her.

"This is Colonel Diyoza, what the hell do you want?"

Emori all but throws the radio at him.

"We have McCreary, we're willing to trade. Give us Raven Reyes or he dies." Strong, focused, unrelenting.

Silence again.

"Last chance," John offers, "one of ours for one of yours."

Static.

"May God have mercy on his soul." Diyoza says finally, cool as a cucumber.

"Fuck." Emori breaths running a hand over her face.

"Time for plan B." Murphy sighs, kicking at the dirt.

"Which is?" Emori arches a brow at him.

"You're not gonna like it."

* * *

(The Bunker)

The Wonkru guard opens the cell door for Isla.

On bated breath she steps inside. "Bell."

"I'm sorry kid but I'm not doing it." Bellamy says from the bench, his eyes set on the wall in front of him. "I already told Octavia-"

"I just came to say...thank you." She stops him. "I understand why you won't fight. But I also want to remind you why you should." Isla sits down aside of him, resting her head on his shoulder. Taking his hand in hers, resting it on the barely there bump. "Pandora loves you, this baby will love you too. Echo will be pissed if I let her man candy die here. We all still need you." She pulls back to look at him, holding his face firmly between her hands. "It's not your time."

* * *

(Woods Outside The Valley)

"Admittedly not my best idea," Murphy concedes as they continue marching toward the enemy camp, with McCreary pointing an empty gun at their backs.

"So long as it works and we get to go home to our family, it's good enough." Emori replies.

"Are we going to be a family?" Murphy asks, they haven't talked about last night. He doesn't regret it and hopes she doesn't either.

"I don't know John," she sighs heavily, "one problem at a time."

"Sure," he runs his tongue over his teeth. "But it'd be nice to have an answer before the baby comes."

"A baby?" McCreary interrupts, just reminding them they're not alone. "Congratulations."

"Shut up." Emori snaps.

"Hormones." The man concludes.

"How the hell do you expect me to make this kind of decision when we haven't even talked to Isla?" Emori shakes her head. If Isla was here it'd be easier, everything feels off kilter without her.

"Who's Isla?" McCreary butts in again.

"Our wife." John says in exasperation.

"Kinky." The older man grins.

Murphy shrugs. "I think you know that she wants."

"She wants things to go back to the way they were, but they can't." Emori loves John, she has always and will always love him. But she doesn't trust him not to fall apart again.

"Why not?" He stops walking, turning to her.

"I can forgive for hurting me, but I don't forgive you for hurting Isla. I don't forgive you for hurting our daughter."

"Trouble in paradise?" McCreary taunts, ready to just get a move on.

"Nah, we're all good here." John blinks away the tears prickling behind his eyes. He never meant to hurt Pandora, even at his worst never her.

"Good, we're almost there."

* * *

(The Bunker)

"We need to figure out what we're gonna do to save Bellamy." Isla thrums her fingers against the hydrofarm table.

"You mean who we're gonna kill?" Monty knows this game, he doesn't want to play anymore.

"That's not what I said." Isla buries her face in her hands.

"Even if you could get close enough to Octavia, I still don't believe you could kill her and honestly, I don't know if even that would stop this."

"So you're just going to sit here while Bellamy dies. Look Monty, I know you're still thinking about Jasper's letter, but-"

"There's something we could try." Monty says, she can't shake his resolve but he can still try to help. "When I showed Octavia that the farm could grow crops, she crushed the blossom. She knows we can survive here, but the rest of these people don't. They think the Valley and this war is the only option, I think if we show them that it wasn't, maybe they wouldn't follow her."

"But you said she crushed the blossom." Isla's cocks her head to the side.

"You know my friend is a chemist, every once in a while she makes something that's actually useful." He holds up the beaker of brown liquid.

"It's my miracle grow?" Isla grins, honored that he thought of her as occasionally useful.

"With some slight alterations, it works on more than just algae."

Isla touches the blossom softly, "it could work."

"It's a long shot." Monty leans against the table aside of the woman who slowly became his best friend on the ring.

"Here goes nothing." Isla say with resolve, they'll save Bellamy or die trying.


	15. Heir Of Becca Pramheda

(The Wasteland)

"When Echo gives the signal, they'll open fire on pill box one. Position A, here." Bellamy references the map, spread out on the table. "According to Diyoza, at the first sign of gun fire, everyone in positions B and C will move to reinforce A."

"Leaving the other two doors wide open." Octavia concurs.

"We come through here," Bellamy taps the map again. "Point C. Now if we time it right and we move fast, there won't be any resistance."

"Once we're in the woods, we take the village." Indra says, still somewhat skeptical.

"Once we're in the woods, we win." Miller says with certainty.

Isla nods tiredly, as she feels their eyes fall on her in turn; maintaining her steady swaying to appease her sleeping daughter. They haven't rested for more than a couple hours since Octavia burned the hydrofarm, and sent them trekking across the wasteland into war.

The little girl has been clinging to her in a way Isla wasn't used to. If Isla wants to sit in on the strategy meeting for tomorrow, this is the only way. She doesn't trust Octavia to get them into the valley, so she'll do her part to get them there herself.

"Ok," Brail says after deliberating, "I'll tell my people."

"Your people?" Miller snaps.

"Save it for the enemy." Indra reasons. "Spread the word, we leave at first light."

"Tell Echo I said well done." Octavia adds.

"Tell her yourself when we're in the valley." Bellamy counters as the other members of the tent disperse.

Isla moves to excuse herself.

"Isla wait." Octavia catches her arm to stop her.

"Don't touch me." Isla tears away from her.

"We'll win, you don't have to be there. Me and Bellamy will get it done." Octavia tries to reason with her sister. Because even after all of this, she doesn't want Isla to die.

"I trust Bellamy, I don't trust you. He needs help." Isla's tone is venomous. There is no apology strong enough, no deed good or noble enough to make up for what Octavia has done.

"I need this valley just as much as you." Octavia reminds her, it would be counterproductive not to follow through.

"We didn't need it yesterday, you are the reason we need it! And if we don't have it soon, we're all gonna die out here. I hope it was worth it; for power."

"If you think that bunker was anything more than a tomb, you're wrong." Blodreina shakes her head.

"We had food, water, shelter. What do we have now? Nothing. We have nothing."

"Tomorrow we'll have everything."

"I hope you're right." When Isla moves for the exit again her body betrays her, knees buckling, suddenly incredibly light headed.

"Isla," Bellamy is beside her in an instant, steadying her, "you need to lay down kid."

"I'm fine." Isla brushes him off.

"You're exhausted." Bellamy whispers, reluctant to let go of her.

"We're all exhausted." She's nothing special.

"This isn't good for the baby, all the stress."

"This baby will be dead in a week, because I'll be dead in a week, you'll be dead in a week, and so will-" Isla can't get the name out, because the thought alone causes her physical pain.

"Don't," Bellamy cuts her off.

"You know I'm right." Isla presses.

"I won't let that happen."

"You can't stop it," she breathes, tears rolling onto her cheeks. "Not by yourself."

"You told Octavia you trust me, so trust me." Bellamy insists.

"Ok," Isla concedes finally.

"Tomorrow we get our family back." Bellamy believes it, he has to.

* * *

(Woods Outside The Valley)

"Hey." Emori greets, plopping down on the ground aside of John and his giant new gun.

"Yeah hey." He doesn't look up.

"Can we talk?"

"This should be good." Murphy smirks, stilling his fingers on the control pad and setting the gun aside.

"Do you think...that you could ever be happy with just our family? Would it ever be enough for you?" Emori asks, her voice just above a whisper. She needs his answer, but is terrified of what it might be.

"It is enough for me. When we are a family. At the end, that last year on the ring; I didn't feel like we were a family. I would wake up and you were gone, Isla was gone, P was gone with one of you. You'd work past dinner and into the night, one of you would drop off Pandora if she fell asleep, I'd go to bed alone; same way I woke up. There was one time I don't think I saw either one of you for almost a week."

The words catch in his throat, but he presses on. "I remember just thinking that I would give anything to have my family back. Then I thought about the fact that neither of you even missed me. It was like a switch flipped; I was pretty angry after that. So I'm sorry that I broke your heart, I'm sorry that I hurt Isla. But did either one of you take a second to consider the fact that you hurt me too? That maybe you broke my heart?"

Emori covers his hand with both of hers, giving it a squeeze as she sees him wipe his face with his sleeve. "I'm sorry. I didn't know that you were hurting, because every time I was there you'd push me away. We've all been hurt, many times, by people who we trusted, who we loved. There's probably no getting over that. I understand trying to protect yourself, I think we all were. When you let people in, they hurt you. When you put walls up, you hurt them."

He nods, "going into this we knew it would be hard, it wasn't a deal breaker for me then. It's not a deal breaker for me now. All I'm asking for is a chance and for us all to really try. Even now; I think that we could all be happy. I think our family could be enough for all of us."

"Me too." Emori says, leaning her forehead against his.

* * *

(The Wasteland)

"It's a good thing you're staying." Monty is perched near the edge of Isla's sleeping bag. He doesn't mention the fact that Bellamy asked him to sit with her until the battalion left. But Monty is sure she knows.

"I hope so." Isla sighs, stroking Pandora's hair. Isla is curled around the little girl still. Whenever she attempted to untangle them the child would wake up in a panic.

"Murphy and Emori are gonna be there with Echo and Raven to make sure everything goes as planned."

"I just hate feeling like I can't do anything."

"You're a control freak." Monty teases, he couldn't work with her for years on the Ring without noticing.

"I am." She inherited that from her mother, along with majority of her physical features and unhealthy coping mechanisms.

"G'morning Monty." Pandora says as she stretches out.

"Morning P." He smiles, moving to ruffle her dark hair. "Harper should be up soon. I'll see you guys later."

"Thanks Monty, for everything." Isla sits up right, her right arm tingles as the blood supply is returned.

"I told you a hundred times, you don't have to thank me." Monty smiles.

"I do." Isla grins in return, watching Monty unzip the tent door and climb out.

"See ya later alligator." Pandora calls after him.

"After a while crocodile." Monty pops his head back into the tent.

* * *

(The Wasteland)

"Wounded, we have wounded!" Someone shouts from outside.

"I thought there wasn't going to be a fight." Pandora says in confusion.

Isla forces a smile, running her hands along the child's arms. Ready to explain.

"Isla," Harper sticks her head in, "there's a lot of injuries, I hate to ask but we need more hands."

"Ok, I'm coming." Isla takes a steadying breath.

Harper nods, rushing out of the tent.

"Stay with me." Isla tells the little girl. "Close your eyes if you need to." Isla leads P from the tent. It's a mad house, the sand stained with blood, cries of agony in all directions.

"Miller, what the hell happened?" Isla can barely make out Harper's voice over the noise.

"The enemy was waiting for us." Brail introjects angrily.

"Where's Bellamy?" Isla demands.

"He's still there with Octavia, we've gotta go back and get them." Miller says, fighting against the searing pain of his wound.

"This is their fault." Brail yells.

"Well maybe if you and the rest of the flame cult didn't-"

"Say that again!" The woman draws her sword and Isla nudges Pandora behind her.

"Enough!" Monty shouts, "were they alive?"

"I don't know, that's why we have to go back." Miller replies.

"Then you go back alone, no one else is dying to save Blodreina." Brail is sorry that they lost people, but she's not sorry that Octavia is suffering from her own choices.

"Come on. We can still win," Miller tried to sway the crowd. "We can still win," he insists before falling over, succumbing to his wound.

"Nate?" Jackson catches him, lowering them to the dirt. "I need a suture kit, and something to numb the pain."

"We're all out." Niylah informs him.

"Of what?" Jackson asks.

"Everything." Niylah confirms his fears.

"I think there might be something we can use for sutures in the tents, the threading on the zipper seams should be strong enough." Isla says. "Get me a knife."

* * *

(Woods Outside The Valley)

At first Echo can't get through to anyone on the radio, then finally Monty answers.

"Trig Monty," Echo insists. "Put Bellamy on."

John is pacing behind Emori, the others huddled at the radio.

"You said it was safe, what the he'll happened?" Monty asks, still partially in shock.

"It was Diyoza, that bitch betrayed us." Raven says, grabbing the receiver.

"We don't know that." Shaw is still trying to defend her.

"Yeah? Then where the hell is she?" Raven snaps.

"She wasn't alone, Kane betrayed us too." John reminds her.

"Everyone be quiet." Echo scolds them. "Monty, where's Bellamy?"

"He's missing. There's still gunfire in the gorge; it's not over. Guys if you don't figure something out quick; three hundred people are gonna die out here." Monty tells them.

"If there's three hundred of you then attack, you have the numbers." Echo doesn't understand why they're just sitting around.

"That's not an option, only a handful of people are willing to go back in, they're at each others throats. Nobody's in charge." Monty fills her in.

"Guys if the enemy is listening." Raven says in a hushed tone.

"Where's Isla?" Echo asks, she speaks trig.

"Helping the wounded."

"Put her on." Echo tells him.

Emori wants to come out of her skin, but forces herself to stand still.

" _Hello_." Isla says finally.

" _Monty says they need a leader. So lead them."_ Echo is incredibly short.

" _You want me march them back into the gorge, I'll do it. I don't know how many are willing to follow me. I haven't exactly made friends."_ Isla is referring mostly to Baylis, but being Octavia's blood hasn't done her any favors _._

 _"Pool your resources. You're smart Isla, persuade them."_ Echo insists, she knows she can _._

 _"There's something I can do. I'm pretty sure they'll follow me."_ Isla hates the idea, but it's all she's got.

 _"So do it, what are you waiting for?"_

 _"It's Pandora, her blood."_ Isla says.

 _"We don't know for sure."_ John grabs the radio.

 _"I can find out. But her hand...I don't know which one they care about more; the blood or the mutation."_ Isla pinches at the skin of her wrist anxiously _._

 _"If she is a nightblood...she's heir to Bekka Pramheda, they will honor that. It's her birth right."_ Echo assures her.

 _"Ok then I'll- check and then I'll show them."_ Isla chokes out the words.

" _Isla, this is the only way."_ Emori takes a step forward to speak. The only comfort she can offer. She understands how much Isla will struggle with this _. "I know it feels wrong. But Love, we are out of options."_

 _"I know."_

 _"Get it done, radio silence until then. Let us know when you're ready to march."_ Echo takes the receiver again.

 _"Copy that."_ Isla is gone.

 _"_ Murphy and Emori, get the cannon working." Echo instructs, moving for the caves entrance.

"Where are you going?" John asks, catching her elbow.

"We're taking a shot in the dark with Pandora. Even if she is a nightblood. Madi is a sure bet, she already has the flame. These people need a commander, so we're going to give them a commander. Shaw and Raven, you're with me." Echo answers cooly.

"So are we at least gonna tell Isla she's putting our kid's ass on the line for nothing?" Realistically Murphy knows Echo loves Pandora and would never put her in danger for no reason.

"Isla's plan is a good one, it'll work but we need to secure all our bases." Echo says, but John still isn't entirely convinced. "Nothing bad will happen to P. If nothing else, you've secured her extra protection. We can deal with the rest once we get to the valley."

He nods reluctantly. "Ok."

* * *

(The Wasteland)

"See? Only hurt for a second, just like I promised." Isla says, tearing off a portion of her shirt to wrap the wound on Pandora's palm.

"That's not possible." Brail says in disbelief. "Frikdreina are unworthy-"

"I'm not asking you to bend the knee." Isla replies through gritted teeth. "I understand that the flame resides in Madi. I would never question that. I am simply offering an option. The commander ran, should she not be able to carry out her duties...my daughter will."

"She has no training." Brail points out.

"Then we will train her. I urge you to consider the fact that she is one of the only two living heirs of Becca Pramheda. It would be negligent to over look that because of an improper division of cells." Isla crosses both arms over her chest.

"Even so, she's too young to lead us in battle." Brail reasons.

"So I will lead you today."

"The last Skaikru leader we accepted put us here. How are we to believe you're any different?" There were parts of her that resembled Blodreina. The set of her eyes, the sharpness of her brows, the quick of her lips. But the bloodlust and need for power appear to be absent.

"I've observed battle strategy under King Roan of Azgeda, trained with Echo, a talented warrior and prestigious spy. I was one of the best shots in all of Skaikru. Believe me when I say, I can lead you to victory, but not without your help. These people trust you, help me save them." Isla leans forward, offering her arm to the other woman. The grounder version of a hand shake.

"I'll rally what's left of the army." Brail nods, reaching forward to seal their alliance by placing a hand on Isla's forearm.


	16. You're Not Heavy, You're My Brother

(The Wasteland)

 _"Echo, come in."_ Isla tries the radio, breaking their agreed upon silence. " _We're_ _ready to march. Do you read me?"_

"Something's wrong." Brail interjects. "I say we give them ten more minutes. Then we move."

Isla swallows, pressing down the button again. " _Echo, where the hell are you?"_

 _"_ Rover!" A voice calls.

"We don't know it's them. Gunners spread out, take aim." Miller commands.

"Fire only on my order." Isla steps forward, Brail nods to her. Letting her know they're still with her.

"A little help here, we've got wounded." Murphy calls, jumping down from the back of the vehicle. Holding his arms out to help move Gaia.

"Stand down," Isla shouts over the hum of the motor.

Harper and Monty follow Isla toward the vehicle. Part of her still can't believe he's here.

"Where's Jackson? She's lost a lot of blood." Bellamy asks, looking down at Gaia.

"This way, we've got her." Monty leads them toward the tent where Jackson is working.

"I'm good, are you good?" John calls when he passes Isla.

"I'm good." Isla assures him.

"She'll be ok now." Octavia tells Indra, who's trailing after her injured daughter.

"Look around, do you see any signs of hope here?" Indra leaves without another world.

Emori comes out last, finding Isla amongst the crowd. Pulling her into a hug, right hand buried deep in Isla's blonde locks. They hold each other tightly. "Are you ok?"

"I am," Isla pulls back to check Emori over, stroking her cheek lightly. "Are you?"

"I'm better now." Emori lets out a sigh. "Where's Pandora?"

"Asleep." Isla smiles, knowing their daughter will be overjoyed to see her Mama.

Emori nods, "it was right what you did. If Clarke wouldn't have let Madi leave, we might still have won."

"Madi's here?" Isla breathes.

"Right here." The twelve year old says from behind Emori.

Isla greets her, breathlessly, "commander." Taking a knee.

Emori moves aside of her to do the same.

A commander is a sure bet, they could win, without having to sacrifice their only begotten child to do it.

A large portion of Wonkru follows suit. Most of them still in touch with the old ways. Some reluctant to believe in a commander that ran, others still loyal to Blodreina.

Octavia sees what's happening, understands the exchange of power that must take place. Brail and the others that had fallen in line behind Isla and her daughter, have handed that power back. Now Octavia must do the same.

Bellamy and Echo move into her path, shoulder to shoulder, blocking her way.

"What are you doing?" Bellamy demands.

"Let her pass." Madi decides, her eyes glued to Octavia's.

"Heda, I don't think-"

"I said let her pass." Madi cuts Echo off.

Reluctantly they let Octavia through.

And she too bows to the commander. After that; everyone does.

* * *

"Madi has a plan. Clarke should have the missiles under control. Me and Emori take Echo and Bellamy in the rover to the gorge, and draw out the cannons. Echo and Bellamy will fire directly into each one. It'll blow the core. They won't be able to use them. The valley's ours after that." Murphy fills Isla in on their game plan. Tapping his thumbs against his thighs. He's sitting on top of the sleeping back in their tent. He and Emori have been back for less than twenty four hours. Having to leave again felt like cruel and unusual punishment.

"When do you leave?" Isla's gaze is trained on a speck of dirt one if them must have tracked in.

"Now." John clears his throat.

"Ok. Well, get er done." Isla wants to feel something, but she can't. She's too far gone and everything is just numb.

"Come here." Murphy sighs, wrapping Isla in his arms. He knows her, how she operates, how she copes with pain. Her unsettling ability to turn off her emotions and get the job done. "Look it wasn't enough time for me either. You really think I wanna come back for a night and then leave again? Because I don't."

"Sucks." Isla whispers, the word muffled against his shoulder.

"Sucks the big one." He elaborated.

Isla snorts. "Yeah."

"This is almost over." Murphy reminds her. "After that we have a whole valley. We can build a house. Put some roots down, make it a home. Somewhere Pandora and the new baby can play. I can cook for you and Mori, real food, no more algae bullshit. And we can be happy, whatever you want we can have. All we need to do is get through today." He knows they can.

The blonde nods, pulling back, holding him at arms length. "Please be careful."

"Careful is my middle name."

"Mhm," Isla hums, rolling her eyes. "Come on, I wanna say bye to Emori." She takes his hand leading him toward the rover.

"Where's my sack of potatoes?" John says as he approaches Emori and Pandora. Holding his hand up to his brow and doing an exaggerated scan of the area in front of him.

Pandora giggles, throwing herself at him.

"It's alive!" He hoists her over this shoulder, "it's alive!" He spins her around.

"Daddy." P squeals happily.

Isla and Emori don't exchange words, they just hold onto this moment of pure bliss on their daughter's face. The way it is reflected on the man they love. Emori finds Isla's hand, bringing it to her lips; pressing gentle kisses into her skin. Because she truly loves Isla with every cell in her body.

"Time to go." Echo reminds them, gently as she can. Bellamy standing incredibly close to her in the aftermath of their separation.

"Alright Mommy," Murphy says, his smile fading, "she's all yours." He hands Pandora to Isla. "You be a good girl, we'll be back before you know it."

"Bye babygirl." Emori smooths down Pandora's dark curls.

"Be careful." Isla darts her eyes between her spouses.

"I'll bring them back in one piece." Echo says, giving Isla's shoulder a quick squeeze. "See you soon _my_ _soldier_." She tells Pandora.

"Back in a few." Bellamy ruffles Pandora's hair and Isla's for good measure.

The little girl doesn't reply, she's angry, she's sad, her family is broken and so is her heart. She sniffles against her mother's neck, watching the others pull away. "I want my Mama and Daddy."

"I know." Isla hushes her. The child has one hand fisted in the back of Isla's jacket, the other clenched around a chunk of blonde hair.

"I want to go home." The three year old hiccups.

"We can't go back to the Ring P." Isla tells her truthfully.

"Why not?" Pandora wonders.

"It wasn't built to last forever. Parts of it were shutting down." The chemist explains, realistically they only could have lasted another year up there.

"That's sad."

"It is, we had a lot of happy times there. It's ok to be sad." That's important for her to know. Isla was never taught that, maybe she'd be different if she was.

"Are you sad Mommy?" Pandora asks.

"Sometimes." Isla admits quietly. "Everybody gets sad sometimes."

"Even bad people, like that man who said he was Mama's friend." The little girl still thinks about him.

"Yes."

"What about Octavia? Does she get sad?"

"Octavia is very sad." Isla is struck by the realization that Pandora considers Octavia a bad person. Blodreina is the only version of her sister that Pandora has ever known. Maybe this Octavia is all that's left. "Sometimes when a person is sad like that, they do things that hurt people. Even ones they care about."

"How do you stop being sad from making you do the bad things?" Pandora needs to know, because she too, is very sad.

"You remember what it feels like to be happy. You hold onto that feeling and you never let it go; no matter how bad things are. No matter how sad they get, even when it seems like you will never be happy again; you remember that feeling. And you remind yourself that one day, you will feel that way again."

* * *

"Someone remind me why I'm not firing this gatling gun." John huffs from the passenger seat.

"Madi's plan is to draw out out the cannons." Bellamy shakes his head at the younger man.

"Yeah well, I like my idea better." Murphy steals a glance at Emori.

She's focused solely on driving the rover as close as she can get to the rocks.

"Ye of little faith." Echo chastises; bouncing wildly in the back of the rover with Bellamy.

The vehicle begins slowing to a stop.

"We're not close enough." Echo notices at first glance. "Why are we stopping?"

"They blew the engine," Emori snarls, slamming her fist against the dash, "damn it!"

"We'll have to run for it." Echo decides, moving for the doors.

"I'm right behind you." Bellamy nods in agreement.

Bullet are still firing, rapidly pinging off the vehicles metal exterior. Emori retreats into the rear, Murphy moving to the vacant driver's seat. "I'll cover you. Go!" He tells the pair, firing the gun soldered to the front of the rover. It's exhilarating; adrenaline pounding in his veins. So much so that he hardly feels the bullet pierce his shoulder. He lets out a guttural scream, continuing to fire.

"John." Emori shakes him. "Enough."

He doesn't stop until the second shot hits, landing in his chest.

"John." Emori is done trying to make him see reason, and begins physically trying to pull him over the seat to safety.

He cries out as she does, "stop Emori, fuck!" John turns the corner himself, cradling his bad arm.

"Let me see." Emori tugs at the collar of his t-shirt. She covers it with her hand after a glance.

"It's bad, isn't it?" John can tell by her face.

"Yes." Emori swallows the panic in her throat. "We need to get you to Jackson. Soon as it's clear, we're going back."

"Ok..." He doesn't try to argue, it hurts when he breathes.

"Keep pressure on it." Emori instructs, "are you having trouble breathing? The bullet is closer to your lung than I'd like."

"How close would you like a bullet to my lung Em?" Murphy quips, cocking his head to the side. "Just for future reference."

Emori smiles, despite herself. "You're an ass."

He clunks his head back against the metal interior. "So much for Echo's 'back in one piece'."

* * *

Monty is at the foot of Gaia's stretcher, leading the pack. Racing through the forest, Isla is holding Pandora's hand. Hovering close to John and Emori; making sure that the bullet doesn't puncture his lung. Not that there's anything she can do if it does, but it makes her feel better to stay close.

They're over half way to the Eligius ship when Raven comes over the radio. "Everybody listen up, life as we know it is about to end; again. Get your asses to the transport ship for immediate evacuation."

They have to pause, setting Gaia down so Monty can answer.

John is hunched over, holding his wounds. Leaning heavily on Emori, his entire chest burns. He convinces her to let him rest, against the tree aside of them, while the others come to a stop.

"Raven, we're transporting the wounded, we're on the way. So putting aside a million other questions, how much time do we have?" Monty pants into the black transmitter.

"Nine minutes, we'll wait as long as we can." Raven tells him, praying it's enough time.

"Deja vu," Monty says, looking over his shoulder at Harper. Tucking the radio back into his pocket.

Niylah leaves her position to check John over. "He won't make it. We have to go without him." She decides remorsefully; he's just not strong enough.

"What?" Emori hadn't realized that was an option.

"We're not leaving him here." Isla scoffs as the other woman moves back to the stretchers.

"Show the others the way." Monty tells Harper. "We'll catch up."

"Ok," she kisses him quickly on the mouth. Taking his place at the stretcher. "Follow me. 3,2,1," she counts, before hoisting Gaia back into the air, and taking off running.

"Go! Go! Go!" Jackson calls into the chaos. Leaving the Murphys alone with Monty.

"Look, she's right. It's too far, you've gotta go without me." John says as Isla comes to kneel beside Emori, Pandora standing between them; still unsure of what's really going on.

"We're not leaving you alone. Not now, not ever again." Isla argues, cupping his face in her hands.

"You, Emori, and Monty have to get Pandora to that ship. That's the most important thing, not me." John insists, they have to live, his daughter has to live.

The little girl understands finally, crawling into his lap. "I'm not going without you either."

"Hey," Emori coos, "I have an idea. Pandora, you help Mommy and baby get to the ship. I'll stay here with Daddy. Make sure he gets there."

"Do you promise?" Pandora releases her death grip on her father's neck. Moving to her feet to stare Emori down.

"I promise." Emori lies. Turning her gaze to Isla, who is not so easily convinced. "I'm not asking you to leave him alone. I'm asking you to leave him with me."

"That's not fair." Isla shakes her head. Again she was the one who'd have to make the hard call.

"Life's not fair." Emori's brows pull together at the vocalization.

"Emori no, you're going with her." Murphy means it as a command; but his tone is soft, sad even. "I can't run."

"But I can." Monty says.

"I'm too heavy." John curls in on himself.

"You're not heavy." Monty grumbles, hoisting Murphy up onto his shoulders. "You're my brother." The engineer huffs.

John let's out an agonized howl when Monty begins to really move, his entire being screams in protest.

"Isla take P and run like hell, tell them we're coming." Monty insists. Maybe he can make it. But if they leave now, there's no doubt in his mind that Isla and Pandora can.

"Ok, come on baby." Isla lifts the little girl, her legs are too short to cover that much ground.

* * *

"Mommy!" Pandora shrieks in sheer terror as a sonic boom rings out through the trees.

They're too far behind Harper and the others to see them. Isla was getting slower, her muscles ache but she presses forward until she can make out the brush blocking the ship from view. Please don't be too late.

"Cover your ears, I've got you." Isla kisses her sweaty temple.

"Isla!" Bellamy rushes for her as soon as they become visible. All but dragging her exhausted body to the ship.

"They're right behind us. We can't leave without them." Isla tells him immediately.

"Ok, catch your breath." Bellamy says, concern lacing his voice. Taking Pandora's weight from her.

Isla doubles over, wrenching into the grass. Her lower stomach cramping more than it was a moment before, she wraps her arms around herself.

"You need to get into the ship and sit down." She incredibly pale, like she might fall over at any second.

"We can't leave till they're here." Isla shakes her head.

"We won't, but you have to get on the ship and relax. You need to breathe."

"I think I'm..." having a miscarriage. "I pushed it, I didn't have a choice."

"Stop," Bellamy puts a hand on her back, Pandora still supported by the other. "You're tired, hungry, and scared out of your mind. That is all this is." It has to be. "You just ran the better part of two miles with a thirty-five pound kid in your arms. You're going to be ok."

Isla nods, brushing her damp hair behind her ears, trudging up the metal ramp of the ship. Bellamy sets Pandora down aside of her, just inside the door.

"Come on Pandora." Isla beckons the little girl to follow her farther into the ship. Finally finding a seat.

* * *

"Uh guys," Raven says over the radio, "look up."

Clarke and Bellamy turn their attention to the sky. The missile is dangerously close.

"We can't wait any longer, we need to close the door." Raven insists.

"Bellamy," Clarke attempts to get him inside.

"Clarke. you do what you have to; but I'm not leaving my friends...I can't do that again." Leaving her to die was something he wrestled with every single day.

"Thirty seconds to impact." The computer announces.

"Raven we need a little bit more time." Clarke pleads, she can't leave him. Not like this.

"There is no more time," Raven snaps. She knows exactly who's out there. Her friends, her best friend. But Emori would want her to get the rest of the people on the ship out safe. "Tell Bellamy to get in the damn ship."

Bellamy turns his back, if they leave without him, so be it. But he is not leaving without all of his family.

"Look I don't want to do this either but I'm firing the thrusters. Close the door, or I will." Raven is stalling now really, she can give them a few more seconds. Her fingers hover over the control panel.

Clarke can't do it.

"Twenty, nineteen, eighteen-"

"Bellamy!" Monty calls, "we're here."

Bellamy is there, tossing Murphy's free arm over his shoulder.

"Raven, they're here." Clarke says into the radio.

"Eight, seven-"

"Time to spare," Bellamy guffs as they cross the threshold.

Clarke pulls the lever to close the door, leaving no one behind. Just in time to see the missile hit the valley. Her home of the last six years.

Take off is rough, all the turbulence from the detonating bombs make it harder to break through the atmosphere. But they do.

"Just once, I'd like to take off from a planet that wasn't on fire." Raven remarks and Shaw smirks at her. This girl is the real deal.

* * *

The decision to go into cryosleep is unanimous, there are too many people for the small algae farm and water recycler to support. Monty and Harper have agreed to stay awake to wait out the ten years it should take for earth to be habitable again.

Pandora looks over her pod, dressed down to shorts and a t-shirt. Her dark locks hanging freely about her face.

"Well what do ya think?" John prompts, his arm now resting comfortably in his sling.

"Where do you sleep?" His daughter wonders.

He lifts her carefully to see the name plate above hers. "You know what that says?"

She squints at it. "Daddy Murphy?" She guesses at the first word, recognizing the last one to be her sir name.

"Close," he smiles "it says John Murphy."

"That's you." She exclaims, squishing his face in her hands.

"Ya caught me." He chuckles, moving to the next pod. "Right next to mine is Isla Murphy," he shows her.

"That's you." Pandora points at the blonde.

"That's me." Isla smiles, Emori's arms wrapped around her waist from behind. Resting on her lower belly. Thankfully Bellamy was right and her earlier cramps were only cause by dehydration and nothing more serious.

"And right next to yours is Emori Murphy."

"That's you." P points at her biological mother.

"How'd you get so smart?" Emori asks playfully.

"What about baby?" Pandora wonders.

"Baby sleeps in Mommy's belly, it doesn't need a cryopod." He sets her back on her feet.

"Pandora Murphy." The three year old says, tracing the screen.

"That's you!" All three of her parents sing in unison.

She giggles, observing as people around her begin to be sealed in their pods. Pandora climbs in, her parents moving to kneel, one on each side and one at her head.

"Comfy," Emori asks, almost as if she's tucking her in.

"Mhm." The child hums happily.

"Good." Isla grins.

"Ready?" Murphy says, thankful that she's being so calm. He worried she would fight it.

"Yeah."

"Ok baby girl," Isla smooths her hair down. "Just like falling asleep." She reminds her.

"Sweet dreams Niron." Emori kisses her little forehead.

"We'll be right here." John reiterates, moving to close the pod.

Pandora smiles, watching the glass seal. As promised nobody moves. Ice crystals crackle over the clear surface, making it harder to see, so Pandora closes her eyes and falls asleep.

* * *

(125 Years Later)

A hundred and twenty five years they'd been asleep. Bellamy dresses in the same clothes he left the ground in. It seems impossible that they had been laying dormant for over a hundred years. He approaches the bridge ahead of Clarke. Someone is standing in the archway, their back to him. Not the boy from earlier, a woman with long dark hair. When she uncrosses her arms, revealing her left hand he knows for sure.

It's, "Emori." His voice echoes off the walls.

She turns to face him. Not Emori; but he knows her. God how he knows her. Ice blue eyes with dark lashes, prominent nose, cleft chin, her mother's smile. "Bellamy," the woman says finally, wanting to hug him but stopping herself. It has been _so long_.

"Pandora?" The name catches in his throat. Reserved only in his mind for the little girl he'd held just yesterday. But clearly it was only yesterday for him.

"Guilty as charged." She smirks, a John Murphy smirk.


	17. Hi Bellamy

(Present Day Eligius Ship)

"Hi Bellamy. We're about five years into cryo. Well, five years since we've been asleep, yesterday was our first day technically being awake. So now you're probably putting a hand through your hair and saying 'what the hell are you doing up, kid?'" A twenty three year old Isla says from the projection screen in front of Bellamy.

Bellamy snorts at her ridiculous impression of him. His voice isn't that deep.

"I'm getting there," she holds up her hands. "So Harper said, last week the alarm starts going off, I guess it does that when one of the pods is compromised. That pod was Pandora's and for whatever reason her heart rate was starting to drop dangerously low. It could have been a fluke thing and if we put her back into cryosleep there's a very good chance that it won't happen again. But uh, that's too big a risk for us so; we're just gonna stay up and wait it out. Looks like when you wake up we'll have an eight year old and an almost five year old." Isla smiles with a shrug. "Can't wait to see you."

The clip ends, revealing a dark screen.

* * *

(Eligius Ship: Two Weeks Awake)

" _Hey." John says from his position behind Isla. Her head is resting on Emori's chest with Murphy wrapped securely around her back, their fingers intwined._

 _"Hey." Isla replies fiddling with their hands._

" _Wanna talk about it?" John asks softly, Isla is strong. She's kept up business as usual in the two weeks they've been out of cryo._

 _"I don't know, maybe." Isla shrugs, Emori's fingers sliding through her hair. They had all agreed to use the next five years to fix their marriage. Talking was part of that._

 _"It might make you feel better, love." Emori offers._

 _"Bellamy was a huge part of Pandora_ 's _life and I'm sad that he won't get that with this baby. I'm still trying to process the fact that something really terrible almost happened to our daughter. And that if Harper and Monty weren't awake, she probably wouldn't be here. I'm having trouble forming an emotional attachment to this baby and I'm really trying. I'm worried that we're gonna fall apart again and I really don't know if I'm strong enough to handle that."_

 _Murphy sighs. "I know you miss your brother baby, but if you think about it; five years, in the grand scheme of things, is nothing."_

 _"Do you think the camera is helping?" Emori wonders._

 _"Yes." Isla nuzzles against her wife._

" _Then you should keep doing, hell do it ten times a day if it makes you feel better." Murphy pauses sucking in a breath. "And about P, I think we're all going through it Isles. We didn't know, but that doesn't change the fact that we almost lost our daughter. Unfortunately there are no emotional support groups at the end of the world."_

 _"What if I can't love this baby the way I love her?" Isla whispers, breath fanning across Emori's skin._

 _"I know on the arc you can't have more than one child." Emori remembers the stories. "Considering everything that happened with Octavia... I think that's probably a big reason. But remember I was the same way with Pandora. It'll come."_

 _"When this baby starts to move you're gonna fall in love." Murphy knows Isla, he's sure of it. "And if not, we'll just have to get rid of you."_

 _"You're such an ass." Isla elbows him in the rib._

* * *

(Present Day Eligius Ship)

"Hi Bellamy, exciting stuff. Isla just popped us out a couple of babies. I'm not exaggerating, a boy and a girl. Anyway I'm running because I left Emori alone with all three kids; while Isla is sleeping to grab the camera. So you better appreciate this." Murphy says, sounding a bit winded as he races down the hallway.

When the door opens, Pandora is in the bed with Isla, lying nose to nose. The little girl stroking her mother's blonde locks. It's getting long again, Bellamy notes. A grin tugging at the corner of Isla's mouth, she looks peaceful, happy. Bellamy shifts his weight between feet. How old are these kids? Where are they now? He wants to ask Pandora. But when he steals a glance to where she stands in the corner, her eyes are glued to the screen; so he doesn't interrupt her.

"It's so quiet in here, how'd you do that?" John whispers to Emori, who's rocking the two infants in her arms.

"They love their Mama." She smiles proudly. "But now that you're here," she gives him an expectant glance.

The shot jostles. And when it returns there's a tiny baby, blue eyes wide, glaring at their father, presumably for moving them. Little blonde strands of hair stick out from the blanket. "Sorry," he coos at the baby. "Bellamy, this is Nebula Blake Murphy. Yes the Blake is for you, obviously. We were gonna do Nebula Bell, but it just doesn't have the same ring."

He pans over to the baby in Emori's arms. "This is Odin Alexander Murphy. Which is what we were gonna name Pandora if she was a boy." His eyes are closed, hair the same color as his sister.

Emori touches his face, feather light with her pointer finger and he smiles, deep dimples just like Isla.

Bellamy feels tears pricking at the back of his eyes.

"Last but not least, here is Pandora and her Mommy."

Isla smiles, waving and P does the same. "What do you think? Do you like being a big sister?"

"I love them." Pandora says, reaching her hands out for the baby in Murphy's arms.

* * *

(Eligius Ship: Seven and a Half Months Awake)

" _Hi sweet baby." Isla marvels at the infant in her arms, the little boy. He's perfect and healthy and he takes her breath away. His little hand is wrapped around her finger and she hums softly while he nurses. "You were right," she says to Emori in the corner. Burping their freshly fed baby girl. "You said it would come, it did."_

 _"I'm always right Niron." The brunette grins in return._

 _"Dinner is served," Pandora exclaims, holding open the door for her Daddy; who's carrying a tray of algae._

 _"Algae ala green." Murphy says, in his best french accent._

 _"Can't wait." Isla rolls her eyes._

 _"Two for you," he reminds the blonde, kissing her cheek, pausing to look down at the baby in her arms. "Can you believe they're all ours?"_

 _"No," she says truthfully; still floating on cloud nine._

* * *

(Present Day Eligius Ship)

"Hi Bellamy, it's the twin's first birthday. I won't lie, the past year has been really hard. I almost woke you up so many times." Isla exhales, "I'm pretty sure I walked around with one or both of them affixed to me for the past three hundred and sixty five days. Pandora has been a dream, we all kind of worried she might feel left out, but she's such a good sissy."

Why didn't you wake me up? I could have helped you. Bellamy runs both hands over his face.

"We're about to sing happy birthday. John made them little teething rings out of some wooden scraps he found." Isla rattles the wooden contraptions at the camera. "So we're gonna give them those. I just want you to feel like you didn't miss anything."

* * *

(Eligius Ship: One Year and Seven Months Awake)

" _One year ago today I was screaming in agony on this very bed." Isla reminisces, running her finger along the seam of their blanket. "Good times."_

 _"Maybe this year you can scream in the good way." John wiggles his brows at her._

 _"Pervert." Emori chastises, shimmying out of her pants and tossing them at her husband._

 _"You guys must like it, you've stuck around this long." Murphy replies flippantly._

 _"Or maybe we just love you_ , _so we put up with it."_

 _Emori points at Isla with a smile, "yes." Her nose scrunches up in the adorable way it sometimes does._

 _"Assholes." Murphy says under his breath._

* * *

(Present Day Eligius Ship)

"Hi Bellamy."

 _The twins can't pronounce Pandora. They call her Panda instead._

"Hi Bellamy."

 _Pandora reads them a torn up copy of the Iliad._

"Hi Bellamy."

 _Three years have passed._

* * *

(Present Day Eligius Ship)

"Hi Bellamy. So by now you've probably seen Monty's update." Isla says into the camera, she doesn't look any different, not really. Her hair is braided away from her face. She's twenty seven. "The earth is not quite ready yet. But I thought you'd be waking up today, all the kids were excited to see you...I figure this is the next best thing."

She begins walking down the hallway.

Bellamy hears them before he sees them. The children, his family.

"You doing a Bellamy thing?" Harper notices her first.

"Yeah."

"Hey Bellamy, be careful; these kids are wild today." Harper... Bellamy is incredibly sad at the sound of her voice. Knowing that he'll never hear it again.

The shot focuses on the children in question. Monty and John are holding a piece of string between them, about two feet off the ground.

"How low can you go, I said, how low can you go." Murphy chants.

"You couldn't go that low Em?" Isla says from behind the camera.

"I missed it by this much." Emori tells her, holding her fingers up, only millimeters apart.

"Uh, more like two inches." Monty argues, his hair is slicked back.

"If my wife said she missed by a hair, she missed by a hair." John insists.

Monty rolls his eyes. "Sure Murphy."

The children are easy enough to recognize. Jordan and Pandora are older, the girl no longer looked like the child he'd known. Stripped of any baby fat, her features more defined.

The twins must be just short of five. The boy, Odin, is wearing a scarf over his hair that matches Emori's. He looks alarmingly like a miniature version of John, with blonde hair and his mother's deep dimples. The girl, Nebula, was all Isla only with blue eyes and the signature Murphy schnoz.

"Mommy I wanna say hi Bellmy." Nebula races over to Isla.

"Bee remember how we told you, it's Bell-a-my." Emori annunciates, leaning down to her daughter.

"Bellamy, can you see me?" Nebula sticks her face directly into the lens.

"He can see up your nose." Isla laughs.

Emori takes over filming, moving them to a chair, the little girl in her lap, "now he sees you, my love."

"Um hi," Nebula giggles. "Today we were supposed to meet, but I think Earth's not ready for us. So I hope you're still sleepy."

Odin charges over, bouncing as he stands aside of Emori. "Mamamamamamamama, I wanna talk."

"Of course you do." Emori grins at him. "Ok, one on each leg. Now we're getting somewhere."

"Here, I got it Em." Isla takes the camera back. "Odi what do you wanna say, baby boy?"

"I hope you can get up soon and play with me." Without warning he thunks his head back into Emori's shoulder. "Do you still like lily pads? I think maybe I can beat you."

"Those are fighting words." Isla laughs.

"Hi Bell," Pandora pops her head in. "Miss you like crazy. I taught the little kids lily pads; now they won't shut up about it. You were right by the way, being a big sister is a lot of responsibility."

* * *

(Eligius Ship: Four Years and Seven Months Awake)

" _Mom, I don't know what happened. She must have missed the bed." Pandora explains, as Isla rushes into the room at the sound of Nebula's cries._

 _"It's not your fault P." Isla sighs, swooping up a screaming, bleeding Nebula and rushing her to the o.r._

 _Murphy holds her down while Harper numbs the wound and stitches the little girl up._

 _"No more lily pads." John says, kissing the girl's freshly bandaged forearm._

 _Emori rubs her oldest daughter's arms, reassuringly, from where they stand in the doorway. "Not your fault." She reminds her._

" _Feels like it." Pandora leans back into her touch._

* * *

(Present Day Eligius Ship)

"Hi Bellamy."

 _They play soccer in the corridors._

"Hi Bellamy."

 _Nebula and Odin are losing their baby teeth._

"Hi Bellamy."

 _Emori has crows feet when she smiles_.

"Hi Bellamy."

 _Murphy has a worry line between his brows._

"Hi Bellamy."

 _Isla has laugh lines around her mouth_.

"Hi Bellamy."

 _Those babies from the beginning are eleven, the little girl from the ground is fourteen._

* * *

(Present Day Eligius Ship)

"Hi Bellamy, only one year left until we go back in cryo. Madi's been doing fine, so we're thinking twelve must be the magic number. Pandora is actually quite the coder, so we're starting to get deeper into the Eligius files. Obviously earth isn't an option anymore. If we can't figure it out before next year; we might be up longer than we planned." Isla informs him. "Which is ok, because Monty and Harper love having us, isn't that right?"

Harper laughs, "of course. We'd be lost without you."

* * *

(Eligius Ship: Eleven Years and Four Months Awake)

" _Go Panda!" Odin shouts, watching his sister rush the soccer ball towards the goal._

 _"It's the final game, winner takes it all, Murphy verses Murphy. Father verses daughter-"_

 _"Thank you Bee," Isla laughs at Nebula's rambling, cutting her off._

 _"Dad's too old, Panda's gonna beat him." Odin announces, crossing both arms over his chest._

 _"Too old?" A chuckle tears it's way from Emori's throat. "I'm older than your Dad. Do you_ _think I'm old?"_

 _"You're all old." The boy shrugs._

 _"Alright," Isla puts him in a loose headlock, giving him noogies, which are largely ineffective because of the piece of material covering his hair. "Take that back."_

 _"Mom," he protests, in a fit of laugher. "Grow up_!"

* * *

(Present Day Eligius Ship)

"Hi Bellamy. Today is the day, it's Pandora's birthday." A thirty five year old Isla narrates. "Can you believe my baby is sixteen? I've been crying all day, like worse than Emori when Odin's voice changed. Which you haven't heard yet, it'll freak you out. He sounds just like John." She shakes her blonde head, smiling fondly.

"We finally got into the Eligius files, Monty is setting the coordinates later. I'm a little nervous about cryo; just because of last time. But we've done a couple trials over the past few months and Pandora's heart is fine. Maybe she was just too little. Anyway, next time I wake up you'll be here. I know it... really helped me, making these videos for you. It was kind of like you were there, it made it easier, being apart. I hope you understand why I didn't wake you up. This wasn't planned but it was good, our lives here were good. I can't wait to see you. I love you Bell."

* * *

(Eligius Ship: Twelve Years and Six Months Awake)

 _Isla sits at the edge of her pod, tapping her fingers against the metal._

 _"Harper, Jordan, and I will be up for a couple days to program the coordinates. We'll watch the kid's pods to make sure all their vitals are good." Monty tells the chemist, leaning against Emori's pod behind them._

 _"Thank you Monty, for everything." Isla reaches over to squeeze his hand._

 _"There's nothing to thank me for." Monty shakes his head. "I'll see you on the other side."_

 _"See ya." Isla murmurs, lying down in her pod._

 _Monty presses the control panel, watching the ice crowd the corners; before retreating to the bridge. He opens the Eligius mission and his heart sinks. They were wrong about the location, it wasn't included with the other files. It's buried under a two hundred layer encryption database that will take another thirty years to open._

* * *

(Present Day Eligius Ship)

"What? Where's the rest?" Bellamy asks frantically, at least ten years are missing.

"That's it." Pandora takes a step toward him, her right hand in her pocket.

"Where's Isla? Is she..." Dead.

"No, oh no. She's in cryosleep, I can take you to her." Pandora says tentatively.

"Why are you awake?" He wonders.

"Monty didn't realize the location of the Eligius mission was omitted from the file he opened with me and my mothers. He was too good a man to wake any of us. Jordan was the one who opened my pod. I'm not saying it was right, not to wake my parents up when I knew. But from the minute I was born, they built their world around me.

Making sure I was taken care of, always putting me, Nebula, and Odin first. My parents are the most wonderful, selfless, loving people. I wanted to give them something back. This new planet was the perfect thing." Pandora explains, she's terrified of what her parents will say when they find out. "I just wish I was good enough to crack the code. I got pretty far. Monty told me he could do the rest. I should have made sure." It's her fault he's dead.

"Monty and Harper made their decision." Bellamy respects that. "We can't change the past. We can only make sure their sacrifice means something."


	18. I Chose You

(Present Day Eligius Ship)

"Damn it," Isla snarls, setting the letter aside. Monty you idiot, we could have got it done in five years, max. "Damn it." She slams her fist into the empty pods where he and Harper should be. "Damn it." Ten years of Pandora's life they missed. "God damn it!" Monty and Harper are gone, dead for nothing.

' _Isla_.'

She tears the paper down the center.

' _Turns_ _out the coordinates weren't part of the mission file. We found out what they were doing_ , _but not where they went. It was a rookie mistake.'_

She rips, and rips.

' _If it makes you feel any better, I thought about waking you guys up.'_

Isla scores the words into tiny pieces, if she makes them disappear; maybe they won't hurt anymore.

' _After Jasper, you were the first person I worked with. Every great engineer needs an ok chemist by their side. Thank you for being that for me. Thank you for making the hole my best friend left a little smaller. Thank you for being my friend.'_

The blonde holds the mangled pieces of parchment in her hands, letting them catch her tears.

' _I know you're angry, I know you're confused.'_

She cries harder, curling in on herself.

' _But when you're looking at that new planet with Murphy and Emori... When you're looking at it with your kids. When you're happy there, with Bellamy and all of our friends...I know you'll understand.'_

"I won't understand," Isla sobs into the empty corridor. "I'll never understand!"

' _And when you do, don't thank me. That's what family does, and you are family. Take care of Jordan, take care of each other, take care of yourself. Good luck._

 _-Monty'_

With shaking hands, Isla attempts piecing the note back together. So she can remember, so she can read it a hundred times until it makes sense. But like anything else; it won't go back together, not like it was.

* * *

 _"_ My Mom's been in there for a while." Pandora says, worrying at her thumb nail. "Do you think I should go check on her?"

"I think we should let her come to us." Jordan tells her, kneading at her tense shoulders. "She said she was gonna wake up your Ma and Dad; fill them in so it's not such a shock. They're gonna have a lot of questions-"

"John, damn it, just hear her out!" Emori has her hands fisted in Murphy's shirt as he charges through the doorway. Isla following a few steps behind.

"What the hell's the matter with you?" He asks Pandora, his voice laced with venom, but his eyes full of incredible pain. "You were sixteen years old. What could possibly make you think that's old enough to make a decision like this?"

"You and Mom were seventeen when you got sent to the ground." Pandora shouts back, "you were nineteen when Mama got pregnant with me."

"Our lives are not an instruction manual. We wanted better for you." John says through gritted teeth. Isla and John were young, they paid for their choices with blood, sweat, and tears.

"I was trying to help." Pandora wishes this moment was different.

"Well you didn't." Murphy snaps.

"John, enough." Emori drops her hands from his chest.

"Why am I the only one upset about this?" He backs away from Emori. Cutting his glare between her and Isla. "Just look at her! Ten years. I want it back. Can you hear me Monty? Harper? Where ever the hell you are. I want my damn ten years back. I want my friends back, I want my daughter back!"

Jordan wants to excuse himself at this. Everything is too fresh.

"I'm still your daughter." Pandora says tearfully.

Emori is whispering frantically to Murphy, trying to talk him down from saying things he doesn't mean.

"I'm still your daughter." Pandora repeats, this time searching for reassurance.

Isla turns her attention to Pandora. "You're always our daughter. No amount of time changes that."

"This isn't a little thing Isla, this isn't the lamp she broke when she was ten that you threw away and covered up. You can't throw this away, you can't cover it up." John feels himself spiraling, but doesn't know how to stop.

"Stop acting like you're the only person who lost something. Everybody in this room lost something. Yeah we lost our friends, yeah we lost ten years with our daughter. But standing around, yelling, and blaming each other isn't going to bring those things back." Isla is raw, her heart splayed open and aching. "Jordan just lost his parents. Do you really think making them feel like shit about a decision they made a decade ago is going to do anything but cause more pain?"

"We did everything right. We paid our dues. We stayed up, we raised the kids. We taught them right from wrong, we helped open the files, we waited twelve years. We did everything we were supposed to do." John throws his hands up. His anger is not truly directed at the children, or his wives, or even Monty and Harper. He's angry at the situation. He's angry at time, for moving without him.

Jordan makes the first move, closing the space between John and himself. "We're going to be ok. Somehow, someway, we all will." He holds his hand out for a shake.

Murphy grabs it, pulling him in instead. He doesn't say anything; not with words. But he doesn't let go. Even when Pandora comes over to embrace him, he just makes room.

* * *

"Thirty six looks good on you." A familiar voice says from behind Emori.

"Raven," Emori smiles, moving towards her. They meet in the middle, hugging each other.

"How are you doing?" Raven asks. "Bellamy said you guys were up with Harper and Monty for a while."

"It's hard." Emori confesses, toying with the knot at the bottom of her shirt. "John didn't take it well. It didn't help that Pandora was up without us. Harper was the first person on the Ring who tried to be my friend. I'll miss her for as long as I live."

"Me too. Giving a shit about people sucks." Raven decides nonchalantly.

Emori snorts, "yeah."

"How's Isla?" Raven changes the subject. "I haven't seen her."

"She's Isla." Emori sighs, turning toward the mess hall. "She doesn't want to talk about it. And therefore decided to spearhead the exploration of Planet Alpha, she's making the preparations for us to deploy."

"Does she kiss you when she screws you? Or does she just screw to get the job done?" Raven cocks her head to the side. It's a running joke, that Isla is two thirds machine and one third human.

In truth, Isla is sweet, incredibly soft, and tender; Emori realized early on. When a person feels emotions that deeply, they need some form of self preservation. Otherwise she wouldn't be able to function at all.

"Bold of you to assume she's the one that does the screwing." Emori ignores the question. "Where's Shaw?"

"Waiting for me in the mess hall. He kisses." The mechanic adds, staring over at her friend expectantly. They round the corner, into the room where the others are eating.

"She kisses." Emori tells her finally, with a roll of her brown eyes.

Raven smirks, locking her lips and tossing the key behind her. "So what'd we miss?"

"Nothing." Bellamy says impatiently. "It's about time."

"Everything ok?" Isla drops the hand that has been massaging her temple to her side.

"Everything's fine." Raven nods, as Pandora hands her a cup of algae. "Look at you," Raven marvels.

Pandora is almost two years older than Raven now. She looks like Emori for the most part, with dark waves; the top portion held up in a bun. Her blue eyes are familiar, set like her mother's, her nose coming to a sharp point. She's around Isla's height, a couple inches short of Murphy, taller than Emori.

Pandora smiles, "new and improved."

It was odd, watching her and Jordan. They remind Raven of her friends, their parents, but they are more than extensions of them. She wants to know them. But that will have to wait until after the briefing.

"Here's what we know," Bellamy begins, standing aside of Isla with both hands on his hips.

Emori straightens up in her seat aside of John. Resting a hand on his bouncing leg to still it.

"Eligius three was a colonizing mission. According to the file; the mission ship dropped teams on five planets with the ability to sustain life. We chose planet Alpha because it's the closest and probably the most like earth." Isla ticks off on her fingers.

"We can scan the atmosphere from the bridge." Shaw offers.

"Actually we can't." Jordan interrupts. "The equipment we used to monitor earth isn't working."

"We think it's interference from the ionosphere." Pandora chimes in.

"Bottom line is, we won't know of it's survivable until we get down there." Bellamy concludes, raking a hand through his hair.

"Sounds familiar," Clarke grumbles. Again they would be lab rats on a planet they know next to nothing about.

"What about radio signals?" Raven tosses out the idea. "Anything from the ground?"

"Nothing from the ground." Bellamy shakes his head. Stealing a glance at Echo.

"Most likely also the ionosphere." Pandora repeats.

"There's an ultra high frequency ping on radar. It's faint but-"

"A rescue beacon." Shaw cuts Jordan off. "We used them on Eligius four too."

"If there's a beacon, that means there must be someone down there." Emori leans forward against the metal table.

"Not necessarily." Shaw points out. "They're solar powered so-"

"They could stay on forever." Raven finishes. "How long has Eligius three been there?"

"Hard to say since they never radioed back, but best estimate is around two hundred years." Jordan scratches the back of his neck.

"That's a long time to wait for a rescue." Murphy fiddles with Emori's fingers on his thigh.

"I trust Monty," Echo says, her gaze moving to Isla. "I trust you."

Isla nods with a sad smile.

"We land in the distance, to get acclimated. We wait for them to come to us." Bellamy tells them the plan.

"Now let's talk about guns. If we have them, we'll use them." Clarke says pointedly, stepping toward the center of the room.

"We're taking them." Bellamy replies with finality in his tone. "We're also taking non lethals. Eligius four has gas grenades and shock batons to control the crowd. We won't be shooting first this time."

"Well in that case Clarke should stay here." Raven scoffs, why was she even here.

"Actually Raven, you're the one that's staying." Bellamy bursts her bubble.

"What? Like hell I am." The mechanic protest.

"We can't take both our pilots, and since we'll be flying blind until we reach the ionosphere; it has to be Shaw." Bellamy explains, it wasn't personal. It only feels that way.

"That's not all," Isla's eyes flicker to her daughter and Jordan. "You guys are staying here too."

"What?" Pandora takes a step toward her.

"Why?" Jordan wonders.

"We need people we can trust up here, and we need you to be safe. If anything happens to us, we know Odin and Nebula are in good hands." Isla explains, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I- ok." Pandora wants to argue, but she doesn't. Her parents trust her still, that means something.

"We have no idea what's waiting for us down there." Bellamy reminds Pandora.

"Which is why we should take our best fighters." Echo eyes her partner with purpose. He's not going to like her request.

"Our sister is the last person I trust not to shoot first. She stays on ice with everyone else until we figure out what we're up against." Bellamy insists, he doesn't want Octavia's trigger happy tendencies getting in the way.

"And if it's too late by then?" Echo asks, hoping he'll see reason.

"We can do Miller." Isla suggest, fingernails biting into the skin of her arms, "Bellamy's right, Octavia isn't an option."

"It's settled then, say your goodbyes. Meet at the ship in ten minutes." Bellamy leaves the room to get some air. Talking about Octavia was still hard on him.

"Well, I call shot gun." John says, smirking at Emori.

* * *

Pandora waits at the airlock for her parents, nervously ringing her hands. "You don't think they'd leave without saying goodbye."

"Of course not, they'll be here." Jordan assures her.

Pandora nods, still feeling unsure.

"Hey P," Jordan says, grabbing her attention. "They'll be here."

"John, Isla; I found her!" Emori's voice carries down the hallway.

"What the hell?" Isla pants, her rushed footsteps clatter against the floor.

"We've been looking all over for you." Murphy says, approaching his daughter.

"I lost you after the mess hall." Pandora explains, she thought they'd go right for the ship.

"We went to check on Odin and Bee." Emori tells her, it was still strange, their absence. But they would be bored up here anyway, Emori reasons. That doesn't stop her from missing them.

"Right." Pandora shakes her head to clear it.

"So you guys are gonna be holding down the fort; you up for it?" John asks, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Yeah, I think so. Pandora?" Jordan turns to her.

"We'll keep it in check. Don't worry about anything." Pandora smiles, "I'll make you proud."

"We're already proud." Isla draws Pandora in for a hug.

Pandora loves all of her parents, but there is something about the connection she shares with her Mom that has always been uniquely theirs. "I'm gonna miss you guys."

"We're gonna miss you too." Isla squeezes her a little tighter before letting go. Stepping back to give Emori and John ample space. Moving over to give Jordan a hug.

"See you soon, Niron." Emori embraces the girl next, now slightly taller than herself.

"Bye Mama." Pandora chokes out, feeling a lump rising in her throat. She just got them back.

"Try not to get any older while we're gone this time." Murphy snarks when Emori releases Pandora into his waiting arms.

"I'll do my best." P hides her face in his shirt.

Neither of them want to let go, but somehow they do.

* * *

"Knock, knock." Pandora says, leaning against the door frame of Jordan's room.

"Come in," Jordan calls, from where he's sitting on the mattress.

"Is that anything good?" She wonders, peaking at the paper in his hands. "I think I've read almost everything this ship has to offer."

"It's from my parents." Jordan clears his throat.

"Can I see?" Pandora approaches with both hands behind her back.

No. "Yes."

"If it's personal-"

"You know it was you, don't you? The reason I went into cryo." Jordan says softly. She must know, Pandora knows him like an extension of her own body.

"Jordan?" Surely she misunderstood.

"I knew the file wasn't open. My Dad told me he didn't know how long it would take to finish." Jordan confesses. "I knew there was a good chance I wouldn't see my parents again."

"You could have stayed with them, I would have understood." Pandora wants him to be happy even more than she wants them to be together.

"I chose you." Jordan doesn't take his eyes off her's. They're beautiful and wide, and he still gets lost in how blue they are. "I chose a life with you...a chance to be with you."

"A chance to be with me?" Why would he want to be with her? He could be with anyone now. He has choices. Someone who was perfect; just like him. Someone with two normal hands.

"I don't regret it, I would choose you again. I'll choose you a hundred times." Jordan takes her face between his hands. Stroking the familiar cleft of her chin, that he _loves_.

"I'm...not worth it. I'm just me." She still doesn't get it.

"Of course you're worth it. I love you Pandora. Nobody but you." He tells her fiercely.

She kisses him, her first kiss, she doesn't know what she's doing. But it doesn't matter, because it's Jordan, and he loves her.

* * *

"We're below the ionosphere and I still don't have any instruments." Shaw curses under his breath.

Isla's fingers curl over the straps of her restraint.

"Anything I can do?" Emori yells over the turbulence.

John clunks his head back into the head rest.

"Yeah," Shaw says, focusing on the controls. "Pray."


	19. Planet Alpha

"Where the hell have you been?" Raven asks Jordan and Pandora as they return to the bridge.

They exchange a telling glance.

"Never mind don't answer that," Raven shakes her head. "We lost comms."

"How long have we been down?" Pandora asks, moving into the seat at the controls.

"At least ten minutes," Raven tells them. "We need to go lower. Find a spot with less interference, can either of you do that?"

"Jordan can." Pandora smiles proudly at him.

"Oh, you're better at it." Jordan argues, still in awe of the fact that she loves him too.

"No, I insist." Murphy's daughter nods toward the desk.

"Ok, I'm happy for you guys; whatever is happening. I think it's really great, but we need to get the radio working." Raven interrupts their postcoital love fest.

"Yeah, of course. Sorry." Pandora works the controls furiously as Raven puts her headset back in place.

* * *

"Boys and girls, meet Planet Alpha." Shaw says as the violent turbulence fades into a gentle sway.

Through the clouds Murphy can make out the trees of this new planet. He lets out the breath he's been holding.

Emori grins obscenely wide, taking it all in.

Isla scowls as they prep for landing. Monty will never see this.

When the ship comes to a halt everyone begins unfastening their belts. Walking toward the door.

"Alright, let's fuck it up." Murphy shrugs jumping down the ramp into the grass.

"I guess that's an alright alternative to, 'we're back bitches.'" Miller says under his breath.

"Breathable air, that's a start." Jackson muses, cautiously stepping out into the shrubbery.

Emori stares down at the device in her hand. "Radiation levels are normal."

"How about that beacon Shaw?" Bellamy asks.

"About eighty clicks that way." Shaw points to their left.

"Good, let's move." Isla pushes passed them, long blonde fishtail braid trailing behind her.

"Sir yes sir." John salutes his wife, falling into line behind her.

Emori trails after them, watching the levels on the monitor. " _Not too far ahead, Love."_

Isla heeds her warning, slowing her pace to let them catch up.

"Thank you Monty." Clarke takes a breath of fresh air.

"Remember, nobody uses guns." Bellamy calls after the Murphys.

It was odd, strangely reminiscent of earth. Stepping off the ship into the unknown.

"Come on," Echo nudges Bellamy's shoulder. "We've got a lot of ground to cover."

Bellamy nods, Miller, Jackson, Clarke and Shaw have already begun trekking after his sister and her spouses.

"I know you're worried about Isla." The former spy takes Bellamy's hand.

"This is the worst I've seen her in a long time." Almost as bad as when he'd banished Murphy, or when Murphy killed two delinquents and then left her of his own accord.

"She's strong." Echo reminds him. "Give her time."

* * *

Jordan is still toying with the position of the ship, not able to break through the interference on the radio.

Pandora is standing with her back to him, staring out the large window of the control center. Watching as they move closer to the colored mass in the sky. It resembles an aurora but there's no magnet pole. "Holy shit." She gasps, watching as the glowing, orange-pink, sun moves over the 'planet.'

"What?" Jordan looks up. "Alpha's not a planet. It's a moon."

"Raven are you seeing this?" Pandora turns to the other brunette woman in the corner.

Jordan moves closer to Raven, upon realizing she can't hear them through the headphones.

"What are you doing? I told you to take us lower." Raven says, impatiently removing her headset.

"I did, and in so doing." Jordan motions out the observation window.

Raven steps around her chair to get a better view. "Alpha's a moon." She deduces within seconds. Staring out into space in awe.

"Mom and Dad would have loved this." Jordan whispers, his brown eyes welling with tears.

Pandora moves to his side, wrapping her arms around his waist and kissing the underside of his jaw. "They would have."

"Hey," Raven puts a hand on his shoulder. "I miss them too."

"Uh, I'll be right back." Jordan tells them, pressing his lips to P's temple before rushing out the door.

Raven exchanges a sympathetic look with Pandora. "This must be hard for you, trying to reacclimate, most the people on this ship haven't seen you since you were a little girl."

"I think it's harder for everyone else. I had time to prepare, you didn't."

"I used to change your diapers. I wake up and you're older than me." She shrugs, "I guess it's a little weird."

"Sorry Boom," Pandora laughs. She doesn't remember many details about her life on the Ring. But she has a specific time in mind, being very; small seated in the mechanic's lap, watching the lights of the rocket simulator.

Raven smiles, the name tugs at her heart. Bringing her back to days gone by.

Footsteps from the doorway call their attention. It's Abby.

"What do you want Abby?" Raven all but growls.

"I need blood, Marcus is prepped for surgery and-"

"Just take what you need." Raven blows her off, holding out her arms as she makes herself comfortable in her chair.

"Thank you." Abby opens her kit to get to work.

* * *

"We camp here tonight." Bellamy tells them, his boots digging into the sand.

It's a beach. The water tantalizingly clear, blue sky above them. It's beautiful.

Emori holds a hand up to her brow, guarding her eyes against the sun.

Murphy takes one last look around before slinging off his pack, his shirt following after.

"We haven't tested it!" Jackson protests as Murphy races toward the water.

"Yeah, yeah." John grumbles.

"Could melt your skin off." Isla adds, setting down her own bag.

"Shakin' in my boots." John calls back, trudging into the water to waist level before diving in.

"John!" Emori says worriedly after he doesn't resurface.

"Something's wrong." Clarke shakes her head nervously.

"This is why we told him to stay out of the water." Isla mutters, rushing into the blue waves.

"Wooo!" John screams popping his head up. "Come on in." He tells his audience, "the water's fine."

"I hate you." Isla is largely unimpressed.

"You love me," he smirks cockily, "that's why you're up to your tits in untested water."

Isla splashes him twice, before trudging back to shore.

He catches her belt loop with his pointer finger. "It was a dick move. It won't happen again." He promises, kissing her back of her blonde head.

"I thought something happened to you." She whispers.

"I'm sorry I scared you. Can we just try to enjoy this?"

"Who knew cockroaches could swim?" Emori taunts from the sand.

Murphy keeps hold of Isla, waiting for a response.

"Go get her," she jerks her chin toward Emori.

"Come on, you want me to teach you?" Murphy asks, holding a hand out to her.

"No," Emori's face drops.

"Let's go," he insists, beginning to drag Emori in.

"No," she tries again, laughing as she does. "John!"

The others watch Murphy pull the brunette underwater. Wrestling playfully as they resurface.

"Same old Murphy." Echo notes, feeling the tension in her shoulders dissipate.

"Wanna make some waves?" Bellamy teases her.

* * *

Pandora wanders down the hall of cryopods. Pausing at the open pod above where Bellamy used to be.

Octavia, she's gone.

Her mother's sister had been peppered into their upbringing as something between a myth and a cautionary tale. Someone to be feared and yet somehow loved. As Pandora got older she realized it was largely in part to Isla's own conflicting feelings about her. Even Bellamy was adamant about not waking Octavia up.

Pandora turns back toward the bridge. Where would Octavia go?

Eventually P runs into her. Octavia is leaving the O.R. as a blonde woman, Niylah, rushes in. She's a healer, Murphy's daughter remembers. There are so many names to put to faces.

"What are you doing?" Pandora asks her.

"Nothing." Octavia narrows her eyes at the woman. "What'd you do to get left behind?"

"I didn't 'do' anything," Pandora shakes off the accusation. "My parents trust me to take care of this ship."

"Hmm." Octavia hums indigently.

"Who woke you up?"

"Does it matter?" Octavia arches a brow.

"I guess not." Pandora crosses her arms, Octavia reminds her of her mom.

"Want to show me around?"

"I shouldn't; Bellamy and Mom wanted to keep you on ice until they got back. Is there any chance of you going quietly back to your pod?" Pandora figures it's worth a shot.

"No."

"Ok great." Pandora rocks back on her heels.

"What happened to the baby?" Octavia asks.

"Odin and Nebula; they're twelve." Pandora tells her. They hadn't discussed protocol about what to do in this particular situation. Isla's daughter isn't sure how much information was too much. Or what Octavia planned to do with it.

"Can I see them?"

Pandora knows she shouldn't. She knows it's not her place. Blodreina was a monster, she was also her aunt.

Octavia cares about Isla. She cares about Pandora and these other children she's never even met. Because she loves her sister, she loves Bellamy; that will always be true. She never wanted to hurt either of them, but she did.

"Come on," Pandora says against her better judgement.

* * *

They sit around the fire they've stared.

John has his left arm around Emori, thumbing circles into her shoulder through the material of her jacket. Their legs stretched out in front of them. Isla sits to his left. Her legs cross crossed, left knee resting on Murphy's right leg. Her hand tracing patterns absent mindedly on her husband's pant leg.

Echo and Bellamy are cuddled up between them and Clarke. Jackson and Miller on the opposite side, Shaw to their right.

The pilot is trying to get through to Raven on the radio for the umpteenth time. "Raven do you read me?"

Still nothing.

"Raven will get the radio fixed." Clarke tells him. She knows how frustrating it is to be calling someone who can't answer.

Shaw narrows his eyes at her, but doesn't reply.

"I know you're still angry, about me turning you and Raven over. It was the only choice I could make." Clarke says from across the flames.

"Maybe you two should speak in private." John sighs, his attention being drawn away from the stars above them, Emori is pointing at.

"I want you all to hear this." Clarke insists.

Murphy rolls his eyes, "this should be good."

Emori waits for her to continue.

Isla repositions slightly to rest her elbow against the log behind John.

"If I could, I'd go back and do it differently." Clarke tells them truthfully. "But I can't, none of us can. Somehow Monty still thought we deserve a second chance."

"Not to be pessimistic but this is like your fifth chance." Murphy points out.

"Yours too Murphy." As if he needs reminding.

"Very good," he smirks at her comeback before withdrawing himself from the group. "I've got watch."

"Hey listen." Bellamy says as it quiets, leaning away from Echo's warmth.

The entire area is dead silent.

"What happened to all the bugs?" Echo wonders, scanning the area.

"You guys have gotta see this!" Jackson insists, holding up the jar in his hand. "Two minutes ago this thing ate a leaf out of my hand. Now it wants to eat me." The bug occupying the jar has begun spinning violently, bouncing off the glass in all directions.

"Look at that," John muses. Coming to join them as he swats the buzzing pest at his neck. "It's pissed I killed it's brother."

"What the hell is that?" Emori asks a beat later. There's a humming sound, not a machine or electrical hum; something more. Just beyond the trees.

"Swarm!" Clarke sees the dark mass moving toward them.

"It's coming from the direction of the ship. We'll never make it back." Echo warns, pulling on her backpack.

"Everyone cover up and head for the beacon." Bellamy tells them hurriedly.

"What if there's nothing there?" Emori asks.

"Then we're bug food."

"Move now." Bellamy yells over the building sound.

The nine of them take off down the sand, into the trees.

"Cover your faces." The swarm is nearly on top of them.

The black material covering their hair and majority of their faces, mixed with the bugs coming from all directions, their vision is severely impaired. It's so disorienting. One minute there's nine of them and then only eight.

John turns to his side, "where's Emori?"

"John! Where are you?" Her voice travels across the trees. "Isla, help."

"Emori? We're coming." Murphy calls into the trees.

"In my pack there's a flare. Take it." Jackson says, turning around to give better access to his bag.

* * *

Pandora returns to her sibling's pods, where she left Octavia; only to find them open.

"Come on," Pandora sighs in disbelief, thunking her fist against her forehead, in the way her father was famous for. Charging down to the bridge, she finds the twins.

Odin is talking Raven's ear off. "It's awesome to finally meet you, I'm a big fan." His body humming with excitement.

"Good to meet you too kid; but I need a little room to work." Raven can barely breathe without some part of Odin touching her. "The radio's still out."

"I can take a wack at it; I mean if you want." The blonde haired, blue eyed boy stammers. Simply amazed that 'the Raven Reyes' is here in the flesh.

"Enough brown nosing, she's too old for you." Nebula rolls her blue eyes at her brother. Plopping down into a chair and kicking her feet up on the desk.

"Shut up Neb." Odin snaps.

Nebula side eyes him, "whatever." Arranging her blonde curls into a twisted knot atop her head.

Octavia is standing in the far corner, both arms crossed over her chest. Her mouth quirked up; Pandora might call it a smile if she didn't know any better.

"Family meeting." Pandora grabs the other woman's elbow, dragging her out of the room.

"Haven't had one of those in a while." Octavia arches a brow.

"What were you thinking?" Pandora snaps, her voice just above a whisper.

"I asked if I could see them. You said yes."

"And you saw them; in their pods. Where they belong, until we get word from our parents that it's safe for them to be out." Pandora is supposed to keep them safe, so far she's doing a bang up job of it.

"If you want to put them back in their pods, that's your call. But I know what it feels like to be locked away while my sister wasn't. I hated her for it." Octavia tells the woman truthfully.

* * *

They bury Shaw's body with a marker, just inside the radiation shield. It could have been any of them in their haste to find shelter from the swarm. When Emori went down in the brush, the bugs got the side of her face pretty good.

The village they stumble upon is well maintained, but so far there's only been one unlocked door with a shrine inside but not a single person.

More shockingly, the symbol of the flame adorns the outdoor flags.

"Destroy the world, and two hundred years later they put you on a flag. There's hope for us still." Bellamy jokes tiredly.

They split up to cover more ground. Peacefully taking a look around, and in Emori's case; peacefully picking a lock with her knife.

"Bring the basics. Don't limit yourself. You won't need chemicals. Idiot." Isla curses herself under her breath. She's seated near the doorway, attempting to create a serum to melt the lock.

"Hey baby." Murphy grumbles, flicking through the selection on the music player he's commandeered. "I get the self loathing stuff, but traditionally it's an inner monologue."

Isla kicks at him with her outstretched leg.

The motion pulls his attention up from the list of songs, just in time to see Emori's hand on her head. "You ok?" John asks concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired." Emori brushes off her dizzy spell.

"You wanna switch for a few?" Isla offers. "You mix, I pick?"

"No, you're the expert." Emori tries to keep her tone light. She doesn't feel like herself.

"I can take a wack at it." Murphy also volunteers, the shuffling can wait.

"Stay in your lane John."

"Ok." He smirks, bowing his head. "I actually remember a lot of these songs from when Jaha locked me in the light house bunker. Oh, hang on. You guys are gonna love this."

"John," Emori shakes her head, still facing the door. "We're busy."

Heedless of her warning and the death glare he's receiving from Isla; Murphy begins to sing. Even tries to get Emori to dance with him, before giving up. Opting for a solo act.

The 'Murphy show' is a hit over all. Everyone stopping to watch except his wives, John doesn't mind.

Isla's mind is hazy, she can barely remember what the two chemicals in her viles are meant to do; or why she wants them to do it. She sets them down, almost missing Emori zip past her toward Murphy, knife still in hand.

The blonde stands, trying to decide what might have spooked her. Only to watch the brunette tackle John to the ground and begin trying to stab him. Isla runs down to join them, the blade catching Murphy's forearms.

"What are you doing?" John protests, trying to shield himself.

Emori doesn't answer, only becoming more determined to eliminate him.

Isla grabs her wife around the waist, trying to pull her off.

Emori in her blind rage throws her head back, attempting to remove whatever is restraining her.

Isla's nose making a sickening crack when the back of Emori's head collides at full force. "Emori!" Isla releases her out of instinct, cradling her nose.

Emori turns briefly at her name, long enough to see the blood pouring out of the blonde's nose and onto her gray shirt through the cracks in her fingers. "Look what you made me do!" She howls at Murphy. Rushing back toward him before Echo and Miller finally manage to restrain her. "Look what he made me do!"

"Emori calm down," Echo tells her as Emori struggles against their hold.

"Give me a tranq." Isla says, making sure John is ok.

Jackson digs one out of his pack. "Your nose-"

"Looks as good as it feels, I'm sure." Isla takes the sedative into her hand. Slowly approaching Emori.

The other woman recognizes what she's holding, "no." She fights harder against the hands keeping her in place. She looks angry, she looks terrified.

Ignoring the warnings of her friends, Isla steps as close as she can. Wrapping both arms around the frantic woman, brushing her dark waves off to one side. "Shhh, it's just me. You're safe." The blonde whispers into Emori's ear. The needle seeping liquid into Emori's neck that makes her go limp in the chemist's arm. Miller and Echo release their hold on her. Isla sinking to the ground with Emori in her arms.

"Help her." John motions toward Emori, his wounds can wait.


End file.
